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Electrochemical speciation of trace metals in the marine environment

Physico-chemical characterization of various species of trace metals by electrochemical measurements, at natural concentration level, in the marine environment is described. The fate of released toxic metals in the aquatic system as well as their bioavailability depends directly on the chemical form of dissolved metal. Recent results of the ELANI EU-0493 EUREKA (EUROMAR) Project: Development of Electroanlytical Instrumentation for Physico-Chemical Characterization of Trace Metals in the Marine Environment are presented. The aim of the Project is development of a highly sensitive, reproducible, selective an automated electrochemical system able to recognize and measure trace metals species distribution in the marine environment. The system uses few different sensing techniques as well as innovative hardware and software for automtic determination of different physico-chemical states and reactivity of the trace metals. The multinational participants in the Project are experts in sampling and application of electrochemical instrumentation for measuring trace metals for years. The firm ECO CHEMIE B.V., is the manufacturer of the appropriate digital electroanlytical instrumentation. The joint working group succeeded in operationalizing the knowledge of the expers by introducing the specific automation into the program resulting in "ELANI" measuring system. The measuring system is further developed by combining special electrochemical cells, working electrodes, systems for efficient stirring of the solution all synchronized with the automatic burettes, pumps and valves, and supported by specifically developed software controlling the measuring procedure and enabling required data treatment. To fulfill the mentioned requirements, basically three modes of electrochemical techniques are on disposal: cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV), anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA), which are complementary with specific advantages.

speciation of trace metals; marine environment; physico-chemical characterization; electrochemical measurements

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