Elemental Speciation Analysis in Environmental Studies: Latest Trends and Ecological Impact

MAURICIO LLAVER; EMILIANO F. FIORENTINI; MARÍA N. OVIEDO; PAMELA Y. QUINTAS; RODOLFO G. WUILLOUD

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY PRESERVATION INTERNATIONAL-MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021

1660-4601

Speciation analysis is a key aspect of modern analytical chemistry, as the toxicity, environmentalmobility, and bioavailability of elemental analytes are known to depend strongly on anelement?s chemical species. Henceforth, great efforts have been made in recent years to developmethods that allow not only the determination of elements as a whole, but also each of its separatespecies. Environmental analytical chemistry has not ignored this trend, and this review aims tosummarize the latest methods and techniques developed with this purpose. From the perspectiveof each relevant element and highlighting the importance of their speciation analysis, differentsample treatment methods are introduced and described, with the spotlight on the use of modernnanomaterials and novel solvents in solid phase and liquid-liquid microextractions. In addition,an in-depth discussion of instrumental techniques aimed both at the separation and quantificationof metal and metalloid species is presented, ranging from chromatographic separations to electrochemical speciation analysis. Special emphasis is made throughout this work on the greenness of these developments, considering their alignment with the precepts of the Green Chemistry concept and critically reviewing their environmental impact.