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Updated: May 23, 2026

Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
Chromium fractionation and speciation in natural waters
Catarinie Diniz Pereira1, João Gabriel Techy, Edgard Moreira Ganzarolli
1Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, PO Box 676, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
It is common for leather industries to dump chromium-contaminated effluent into rivers and other bodies of water. Thus, it is crucial to know the impacts caused by this practice to the environment. A study on chromium partitioning and speciation, with determination at trace levels, was carried out in a potentially contaminated creek. Chromium fractionation and speciation was performed using a flow-injection preconcentration system and detection by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. High levels of this element were found in the particulate material (449-9320 mg kg(-1)), which indicates its compatibility with this fraction. The concentration of Cr(iii) in the water samples collected ranged from 5.2-105.2 μg L(-1). Cr(vi) was always below of the DL (0.3 μg L(-1)). Chromium accumulation observed in the sediment (873-1691 mg kg(-1)) may confirm contamination due to the long term release of contaminated effluents in the creek.
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