Skip to main content

Analytical Methods for the Determination of Heavy Metals in Water

Part of the Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World book series (ECSW,volume 70)

Abstract

The presence of heavy metals in aqueous systems is a topic of continuous concern in the scientific community due to their high toxicity, coupled to their increasing applications and irresponsible waste management, which demand for a tight control and evaluation of their impact on natural systems. In this respect, analytical chemistry plays a fundamental role for the development and application of more efficient methods and techniques for their quantification. Nevertheless, challenges related to low concentrations, species distributions and complex matrices can only be overcome with novel, effective and cost-efficient methods that lead to reliable results.

This chapter presents an overview of the most used analytical methods for the quantification of trace heavy metals in aqueous samples. It includes an in-depth discussion of atomic spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, electrochemical analytical tools, ranging from potentiostatic to chemiluminescent methods, and chromatographic and bio-based techniques for heavy metal determination. Additionally, a section dedicated to the growing field of sample preparation is also presented, paying special attention to novel liquid-liquid and solid phase microextraction techniques based on the use of modern solvents and nanomaterials. Throughout the chapter, special emphasis is made on recent developments aimed to the improvement of the sensitivity and limits of detection and on the importance of speciation analysis, a fundamental yet still undervalued aspect of the integral evaluation of the presence and impact of heavy metals in waters.

Keywords

  • Heavy metal
  • Analytical chemistry
  • Preconcentration
  • Nanotechnology
  • Water
  • Speciation analysis
  • Sample preparation
  • Green chemistry
  • Atomic spectroscopy
  • Electrochemistry

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-80334-6_1
  • Chapter length: 50 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-80334-6
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Fig. 1.1
Fig. 1.2
Fig. 1.3

References

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (FONCYT) (Projects PICT-2016-2506-BID and PICT-2019-03859-BID) and Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Project 06/M129).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Llaver, M., Oviedo, M.N., Quintas, P.Y., Wuilloud, R.G. (2021). Analytical Methods for the Determination of Heavy Metals in Water. In: Inamuddin, Ahamed, M.I., Lichtfouse, E., Altalhi, T. (eds) Remediation of Heavy Metals. Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World, vol 70. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80334-6_1

Download citation