WWEM - Abstract

Abstract Information :

Metalloids are introduced into the environment as micropollutants anthropogenically from the widespread use in the different industries, domestic and in agriculture. Over the years, trace metalloid pollution has become an environmental problem of concern due to their ecotoxic properties. However, speciation analysis is necessary to understand the toxicity and fate of each metalloid species in the environment. There is a wide range of available spectroscopic techniques for total Sb and As determination and speciation in real environment samples. But the equipment often used for such analysis are bulky, expensive, and immobile. The necessity for a cheap, portable, smaller and simpler analytical technique that can be used in the field were all the reasons for using electrochemical methods. One of the techniques is by using a gold micro-wire electrode that is well suited for the speciation of inorganic arsenic and antimony that has the advantage of low cost, portability, and may detect weak complex. The technique may also be that will be used to gain insights into the complexation patterns of inorganic and organic-bound Sb and highlight the formation of weak, fast-dissociating species as well as inert, stable, complexes. Voltammetry may complement nicely the commonly that will be used chromatographic and hyphenated techniques. At present, there are no electroanalytical methods that can analyse these elements in environmental pH condition (i.e pH 6), thus limiting the technical ability to assess the chemical speciation and reactivity of these species, especially when it comes to the formation of relatively weak organic complexes that cannot be analysed through standard chromatographic techniques.