Aluminium speciation in environmental samples: a review

Because of its toxic effects on living beings, Al may represent an environmental hazard, particularly under increased acidic conditions. Growing environmental concern over the presence of increased Al concentrations in soil solutions and fresh waters resulted in the development of numerous analytical techniques for the determination of Al species. Al has a very complex chemistry that is significantly influenced by pH. Different Al species are present in environmental solutions, and many of them are unstable. Contamination of samples and reagents by extraneous Al represents an additional problem in speciation of Al at trace concentrations. Due to these reasons quantitative determination of particular chemical forms of Al is still a very difficult task for analytical chemists. The most important analytical methodologies of the last decade and new trends for the speciation of Al in environmental samples are comprehensively reviewed here.