title: Simultaneous voltammetric determination of toxic metals in sediments.
abstract: Voltammetric methods are very suitable, versatile and rapid techniques for the simultaneous metal determination in complex matrices. The work, regarding the determination of As(III), Se(IV) and Mn(II), is a very interesting example of the possibility for simultaneously determining each single element in real samples in a wide range of concentration ratios. The differential pulse (DPV) measurements were carried out using a conventional three-electrode cell, while ammonia-ammonium chloride buffer (pH 9.6) was employed as the supporting electrolyte. The analytical procedure was verified by the analyses of standard reference materials: estuarine sediment BCR-CRM 277 and river sediment BCR-CRM 320. Precision and accuracy, expressed as relative S.D. and relative error, respectively, were in all cases of the order of 3-5%, while the detection limit for each element was around 10(-8) M. The standard addition technique improved the resolution of the voltammetric method, even in the case of very high element concentration ratios.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry ;G. Ciamician', University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, I-40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torsi