Measuring Trace Metal Colloid Distribution in The Environment  

Postnova Analytics reports on how the SWAMP ultra-clean research facility at the University of Alberta, Canada, has been using the AF2000 Flow field flow fractionation system coupled to Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), UV and fluorescence detectors to characterise trace metal colloid distribution in the environment.

The SWAMP lab at the University of Alberta is a metal-free, ultraclean research facility, purpose-built for analysing trace elements at low concentrations in Soils, Water, Air, Manure, and Plants. The SWAMP lab also conducts cutting-edge research in Analytical Geochemistry by developing innovative methods to extract and quantify trace element concentrations, and to measure the size distribution of their dominant species with minimal disruption to their natural form.

Dr Chad W Cuss, a post-doctoral fellow at the SWAMP lab commented: “The speciation of dissolved trace elements and small particulates (colloids) is sensitive to pH, ionic strength and temperature, and loosely bound complexes are easily broken apart by strong separation forces. Flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF) minimises disruption to the natural speciation of trace elements because the pH and ionic strength of the carrier fluid can be adjusted to reflect natural conditions, and the temperature of the separation channel is controllable. FlFFF can also perform this separation over a broad size range allowing the non-destructive separation and speciation of trace elements over virtually the entire relevant size range for aquatic organisms. Usefully, FlFFF is easily coupled to other analytical techniques, facilitating the simultaneous analysis of organic matter quality using for instance a UV-Visible or fluorescence detector, and trace element concentrations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Combined with these detectors, FlFFF has unparalleled ability to measure the size-based distribution of trace elements amongst different colloidal species.”

The Postnova AF2000 is a high-performance Flow field-flow fractionation platform for separation of nanoparticles, macromolecules and proteins in complex matrices.

For further information on the work being undertaken by the SWAMP lab at the University of Alberta, please visit https://swamp.ualberta.ca/.