Abstract
Dialysis with Receiving Resins has been devised for the determination of bioavailable metal uptake rate in polluted waters. This speciation technique responds to bioavailable metal species by incorporating a metal chelating resin contained within a dialysis membrane. The values obtained are expressed in terms of a metal uptake rate per unit surface area and time. Mean efficiencies for the reduction of bioavailable uptake rates, between the influent and effluent of a sewage treatment plant, have been derived for Zn (42%), Pb (49%) and Cu (33%). Background receiving resin uptake rates, from an unpolluted stretch of river, for Zn (0.79 pg mm‐2 h‐1), Cd (0.01 pg mm‐2 h‐1), Pb (0.02 pg mm‐2 h‐1) and Cu (0.06 pg mm‐2 h‐1) were exceeded at three monitored stormwater outfalls which provided a range of receiving resin uptake rates for Zn (2.5 ‐ 67.1 pg mm‐2 h‐1), Cd (0.01–0.14 pg mm‐2 h‐1), Pb (0.15–2.4 pg mm‐2 h‐1) and Cu (0.26–41.3 pg mm‐2 h‐1).