Partition and Determination of Cadmium, Copper, Lead and Zinc in Marine Suspended Particulate Matter

Abstract
A method for the determination of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the total and acetic acid (25%) soluble fraction of suspended particulate matter collected on Nuclepore membranes is described. The acetic acid leaching was carried out in a modified Millipore vacuum filtration apparatus. The total sample and the acetic insoluble fraction were decomposed in teflon bombs with HF/aqua regia. Flame or graphite furnace AAS was used for metal determinations. Sequential acetic acid extractions (3) show that on the average 76.4-92.0% of the metals are removed with the first extraction. Cadmium is potentially most easily available to biota with 90.4% of the total metal concentration located in the acetic acid soluble fraction.