Chemometric characterization of soil and plant pollution: Part 1: Multivariate data analysis and geostatistical determination of relationship and spatial structure of inorganic contaminants in soil.

Geostatistical and multivariate methods of data analysis are used to describe patterns of soil pollution with inorganic contaminants in Celje County, Slovenia. Groups of contaminants and polluted sites were identified using cluster analysis and confirmed with multidimensional variance and discriminant analysis. Factor analysis yields an identification of not directly observable relationships between the contaminants.

Carbonate interferences by ion chromatographic determination of anions in mineral waters.

The high content of hydrogen carbonate anions and dissolved CO2 in some mineral waters interfere with the determination of anions in such samples by ion chromatography. It was found that the irreproducibility of retention times of all anions present in the samples was caused by on-column neutralisation of CO(3)2- to HCO3- by CO2. Microbubbles of CO2 released downstream by the suppressor inhibited exchange of Na+ with H3O+ resulting in lower conductivity and consequently in the decrease of chloride peak.

A methodological approach to the application of a vermiculite modified carbon paste electrode in interaction studies: Influence of some pesticides on the uptake of Cu(II) from a solution to the solid phase.

A new methodological approach, for studying metal ion binding interactions with a clay mineral is presented. A carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with vermiculite clay mineral was used as a model for a soil-like solid phase and Cu(II) ions were chosen as the test ions. The application of this model is demonstrated and explained by investigating the influence of seven pesticides (bromofenoxim, fenamiphos, phenmedipham, atrazine and its three natural degradation products) on the uptake of Cu(II) ions from a solution to the vermiculite, included in a CPE.

Determination of heavy metal concentrations in plants exposed to different degrees of pollution using ICP-AES.

Plant samples (Plantago lanceolata - narrow leaf plantain and Cichorium endiviae - endive) were collected in the surroundings of heavy metal emission sources and in other less contaminated areas. After digestion in a closed microwave system using HNO(3), the concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined using ICP-AES. Detection limits for all the elements of interest are given.