An evaluation of the determination of heavy metals, barium and phosphorus in sea-bed sediments

Abstract

An evaluation of the results obtained by following established procedures for collection and analysis of sea-bed sediments indicates that there is an acceptable reproducibility using nitric acid extraction and subsequent ICP- determination of Mn, Pb, Cr and P, but a somewhat lower reproducibility for Cu, Zn, Co, V and Ba. For the elements Cd and Hg determined by AAS at the same extracts, the reproducibility is poor. For Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, V, Cr and Ba, the discrepancy between the estimated and measured mean is slightly above 10%. Of the 35 samples, 1-2 samples gave Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co and Hg values above the estimated maximum level 1,e. action limit, while 3-4 samples gave values above the estimated maximum level for P, Ni, V, Cr and Ba. A linear correlation is evident between the total content of Fe, Mn and P in these sediments as obtained by XRF analysis and the amount removed by nitric acid extraction, with 85+-2%, 90+-1% and 84+-1%, respectively, being dissolved.