The application of field‐flow fractionation techniques to the characterization of complex environmental samples

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Abstract
Aquatic participates and macromolecules are thought to be very important in many biogeochemical processes and play a major role in determining the behavior, transport, and eventual fate of pollutants in natural waters. The nature of these materials is very complex, being heterogeneous in both size and chemical composition. This paper describes the application of three different field‐flow fractionation (FFF) techniques to separate and characterize these complex environmental samples. Gram quantities of silt‐size (1–60 μm) sediment can be fractionated into discrete size ranges for subsequent analysis using a continuous steric FFF‐sedimentation separation. The very difficult colloid size particles were characterized using sedimentation FFF. The methodology for efficiently fractionating river water particles in the range 0.06–0.6 μm has been developed. Using flow FFF, detailed molecular weight information has been obtained for a range of fulvic and humic acid samples. FFF techniques appear to possess some unique features which should be useful in the study of environmental samples.