Extraction of labile metals from solid media by dilute hydrochloric acid

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 138; no. 1-3; pp. 119 - 130
• Main Authors: Sutherland, Ross A, Tack, Filip M. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.03.2008; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acids; Analysis methods; Anthropogenic factors; Applied sciences; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; BCR sequential extraction; Chemical Fractionation; Contaminants; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Extraction processes; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Grain size; Grain size partitioning; Hawaii; Hydrochloric acid; Hydrochloric Acid - chemistry; Lead; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals - analysis; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Particle Size; Pollution; Pollution monitoring; Pollution, environment geology; Reagents; Regression analysis; Road-deposited sediment; Sediments; Soil and sediments pollution; Studies; Hawaii; Polynesia; Oceania; USA, Hawaii, Oahu I., Honolulu; Hawaii; Road-deposited sediment; BCR sequential extraction; Grain size partitioning; Chemical analysis; Atmospheric fallout; Highway; Sequential extraction; Soil pollution; Sediments; Certified reference material; Heavy metal; Hydrochloric acid; Trace element; Dust; Rapid technique; Analysis method; Surveillance
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-007-9748-5

Extraction of labile metals from solid media is environmentally more meaningful than a total digestion. A variety of reagents have been introduced in the literature, but dilute HCl has received the greatest attention. We compare metal concentrations liberated by a dilute HCl leach with the sum of the 3-step optimized (standardized) BCR sequential extraction procedure. This is the first study to compare these procedures over a range of grain sizes. Road-deposited sediments from 10 sites in Honolulu were fractionated into six grain size classes. Aliquots of individual fractions were digested with dilute HCl, the 3-step BCR procedure ('labile'), and a 4-acid (total) procedure. Results indicated that the weighted labile concentrations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were statistically greater than those from the dilute HCl leach. However, regression analysis indicated strong statistically significant relationships between the two partial extraction procedures for all metals. On a whole-sample basis, the toxicity classifications for anthropogenic-enhanced metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) were similar between extractions. Taken together, results suggest that the application of dilute HCl to solid media provides a rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally meaningful approach for contaminant monitoring.