Speciation of aqueous chromium by use of solid-phase extractions in the field

Here the fate and mobility of chromium in an organic-rich wetland area was studied through a field investigation in which chromium speciation in aqueous samples was estimated by use of solid-phase extraction resins that removed the cationic, anionic, and hydrophobic organic species from solution. Results show that aqueous chromium concentrations in the surface and pore waters at this site are higher than would be predicted by simple thermodynamic equilibrium with solid chromium hydroxides. Hexavalent chromium was not observed and therefore could not explain these higher than expected chromium concentrations. Aqueous chromium in concentrations greater than 30 microg/L was found to be slightly correlated with total dissolved organic carbon (R2 = 0.66), thus suggesting enhanced chromium concentrations because of complexation with organic ligands. The results of the solid-phase extraction performed show that aqueous chromium in the wetland pore water and surface water exists primarily as an anion (96%). It is concluded that the solubility and mobility of chromium are controlled, at least in part, by complexation with dissolved organic carbon and that this may be a thermodynamically controlled process.