Process / pipelineEnvironmental geochemistry and contaminant fate
Heavy Metal Speciation
Heavy metal speciation is the analytical and geochemical determination of the chemical forms (species) and partitioning of toxic metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, zinc, copper) in soil, sediment, and water. Metal bioavailability—the fraction accessible to organisms—depends critically on speciation: metal bound to soil organic matter or iron oxides is immobile and non-bioavailable; dissolved or exchangeable metal is highly bioavailable and toxic. Speciation assessment informs remediation design, risk assessment, and contaminant fate prediction.
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Sources
- Tessier, A., Campbell, P. G. C., & Bisson, M. (1979). Sequential Extraction Procedure for the Speciation of Particulate Trace Metals. Analytical Chemistry, 51(7), 844–851. DOI: 10.1021/ac50043a017 ↗
- Allen, H. E. (2002). Bioavailability of Metals in Terrestrial Ecosystems: Importance of Partitioning for Bioavailability to Invertebrates, Microorganisms, and Plants. SETAC Press. ISBN: 978-1880611265
- US Environmental Protection Agency. (2007). Bioavailability of Metals. EPA/540/R-04/016. link ↗