Gel–water partitioning of soil humics in diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) analysis of their metal complexes
Pascal L. R. van der Veeken A and Herman P. van Leeuwen A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 6, 6703HB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
B Corresponding author. Email: herman.vanleeuwen@wur.nl
Environmental Chemistry 9(1) 24-30 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN11101
Submitted: 26 July 2011 Accepted: 15 December 2011 Published: 14 February 2012
Environmental context. Metal species can have significant toxic effects in aquatic systems, and therefore their occurrence should be reliably monitored. Although many methods to measure metal species are available, they all have limitations and are sensitive to physicochemical complications. It is shown that, in techniques based on diffusive gradients in thin films, sorption of humic acids affects metal speciation inside the diffusive gel layer and the nature of the ensuing flux response.
Abstract. Metal complexes of humic and fulvic acids are ubiquitous in aqueous environmental media. In metal speciation analysis by DGT (diffusive gradient in thin film) with polyacrylamide hydrogels, soil humic acid species have been shown to significantly accumulate in the diffusive gel layer. As a result, the speciation of their metal complexes inside the gel is changed with respect to that in the sample medium. In low ionic strength samples, the effects of sorption of the charged humic species are compounded by Donnan partitioning. Here we lay out the basic features that govern the partition of humic species between gel and water, and discuss their effect on the properties of the DGT metal flux.
Additional keywords: cadmium, DET, free metal ion, humic acid, metal speciation.
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