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Updated: May 21, 2026

Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
Chromium speciation in river sediment pore water contaminated by tannery effluent
David J Burbridge1, Iris Koch, Jun Zhang
1Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada, Stn. Forces, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
Cr(VI) is far more soluble and toxic than Cr(III). Sediment pore water was investigated in a river adjacent to the property of a large former tannery, into which Cr-contaminated effluent was discharged over a 55-year period, and where extremely high Cr concentrations have been found in the sediments. Dialysis cells, or peepers, were used to generate depth profiles of Cr concentration in sediment pore water. Samples were analyzed for total Cr using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and for Cr species using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-MS. The results show an absence of Cr(VI) in all samples. Furthermore, incomplete recovery of Cr(VI) added to the samples collected at the locations with highest sediment Cr concentrations indicate strong reducing conditions at those locations, which are not conducive to the presence of Cr(VI).
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