Bioavailability of trace elements in surface sediments from Kongsfjorden, Svalbard.

The bioavailability of trace elements in marine sediments from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Islands, Norwegian Arctic) was assessed and discussed. Total concentrations of several elements were determined in two granulometric fractions and their bioavailability evaluated by both applying a sequential-selective extraction procedure and using a biomimetic approach based on proteolytic enzymes. Total concentration values and solid speciation patterns indicated overall that the anthropogenic impact of trace elements in the investigated area is negligible, although a minor enrichment with respect to crustal values was found for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and V.

Using proteolytic enzymes to assess metal bioaccessibility in marine sediments.

In this work we tested two proteolytic enzymes (trypsin and pepsin) to evaluate metal bioaccessibility in marine sediments. Some working conditions were studied, in particular incubation time, enzyme concentration and solution/solid ratio, and metals release mechanisms were investigated using both untreated and denatured enzymes. The results obtained with trypsin and pepsin were compared with each other and with results from proteinase K extraction, carried out on the same sediment samples, following a procedure reported in the literature.

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric determination of trace elements in sediments after sequential selective extraction: effects of reagents and major elements on the analytical signal.

The interfering effects due to the reagents and matrix elements associated with a four step sequential extraction procedure on ICPOES determination of trace elements were investigated in a systematic way. The emission lines were selected in order to include the most interesting elements for environmental studies (Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, V and Cu) and the concentrations ranged according with the values occurring in the real samples. In order to distinguish between chemical and physical interfering effects, the Mg 280.