Adsorption of trace metals on glass fiber filters

Filters, containing glass-fiber (GF) filter material, are commonly used as the primary filter or as the prefilter in sampling natural waters and laboratory experiments with high concentrations of suspended solids. We observed that GF filter material removed substantial quantities of trace metals from solutions of low ionic strength at near neutral and slightly acidic pH. The GF material sorbed essentially all Pb and Ag from 5-mL aliquots of solutions containing 0.054 and 0.093 mM, respectively. Somewhat less Ni was sorbed from a 0.099 mM solution. This material retained about 43 micromol of Ag per gram of GF material (4600 microg/g). The Ag and Ni sorption was highest at low KNO(3) concentrations (as background electrolyte) and decreased to a constant concentration of sorbed metal at approximately 10 mM KNO(3). Glass-fiber filter material should only be used with careful testing for the elements of concern under conditions that closely match expected environmental or experimental conditions.