Abstract
The objectives of this study were to analyze the total contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the freshwater sediments and the arable and non-arable soils of Taiwan, and to compare the different digestion methods for their determination. Two hundred and thirty-nine freshwater sediments were collected from the Fei-Tsui Reservoir Watershed (FTRW) in northern Taiwan. Forty-two surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–30 cm) soil samples were likewise collected from 21 representative arable soils derived from various parent materials and with varying weathered degrees in different regions of Taiwan. In addition, one hundred and ninety-four non-arable soils were collected from the different forest regions, industrial parks, resident areas, and commercial areas. Several digestion methods including the aquaregia and different combinations of concentrated acids (HClO4, HNO3, H2SO4, or HF) were compared. All samples were digested both by the aqua regia method and the Baker and Amacher method for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The Reisenauer method was used for Cr and the Burau method for Pb further. The results indicate that the best digestion methods to analyze the total contents of heavy metals in the sediments and soils were recommended as follows: the Baker and Amacher method for Cd, Cr,Cu, Ni, and Zn; the Reisenauer method for Cr, but for simplicity the Baker and Amacher method is also recommended as the flexible method for the total analysis of Cr; the aqua regia method for Cu, Ni, and Zn; and the Burau method for Pb.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alloway, B. J.: 1991, Heavy Metals in Soils, Blackie and Son Ltd., London, 339 pp.
Baker, D. E. and Amacher, M. C.: 1982, ‘Nickel, Copper, Zinc and Cadmium’, in A. L. Page et al.(eds),Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd ed., Agron. Monogr. Vol. 9, ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, U.S.A., pp. 323–336.
Burau, R. E.: 1982, ‘Lead’, in A. L. Page et al.(eds),Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd ed., Agron. Monogr. Vol. 9, ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, U.S.A., pp. 347–366.
Charlesworth, S. M. and Lees, J. A.: 1999, ‘The distribution of heavy metals in deposited urban dusts and sediments, Coventry, England’, Environ. Geochem. Health 21, 97–115.
Chen, Z. S.: 1991, ‘Cadmium and lead contamination of soils near plastic stabilizing materials producing plants in Northern Taiwan’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 57-58, 745–754.
Chen, Z. S.: 1998, ‘The management of contaminated soil remediation programs’, Land Contam. Reclam. 6, 223–237.
Chen, Z. S., Lee, D. Y., Lin, C. F., Lo, S. L. and Wang, Y. P.: 1996, ‘Contamination of Rural and Urban Soils in Taiwan’, in R. Naidu, R. S. Kookuna, D. P. Oliver, S. Rogers, and M. J. McLaughlin (eds), Contaminants and the Soil Environment in the Australasia-Pacific Region, Proceedings of the First Australasia-Pacific Conference on Contaminants and Soil Environment in the Australasia-Pacific Region, Adelaide, Australia, 18-23 February 1996, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, London, pp. 691–709.
Chen, Z. S., Tsui, C. C., Tsai, C. C., Lee, J. M. and Leu, Y. I.: 1998, Investigation of Trace Elements in Freshwater Sediments and Water in Taipei Water Resources Management Special Region (second year project), Taipei Water Resources Management Committee, 228 pp. (in Chinese, with English abstract).
Chlopecka, A., Bacon, J. R., Wilson, M. J. and Kay, J.: 1996, ‘Forms of cadmium, lead, and zinc in contaminated soils from Southwest Poland’, J. Environ. Qual. 25, 69–79.
EPA-ROC: 1994, The Standard Methods for Determination of Heavy Metals in Soils and Plants, National Institute of Environmental Analysis of EPA-ROC, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (In Chinese).
Horowitz, A. J., Elrick, K. A., Demas, C. R. and Demcheck, D. K.: 1991, ‘The Use of Sediment-trace Element Geochemical Models for the Identification of Local Fluvial Baseline Concentrations’, in N. E. Peters and D. E. Walling (eds), Sediment and Stream Water Quality in a Changing Environment: Trends and Explanation. Proceedings of symposia of the 20th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics in Vienna, Austria, 11-24 August 1991, IAHS Publ. No. 203, Oxfordshire, U.K., pp. 339–348.
Hossner, L. R.: 1996, ‘Dissolution for Total Elemental Analysis’, in D. L. Sparks et al.(eds), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3, Chemical Methods, SSSA Book Series No. 5, ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, U.S.A., pp. 49–64.
Kabata-Pendias, A., Dudka, S. and Chlopecha, A.: 1992, ‘Background Levels and Environmental Influences on Trace Metals in Soils of the Temperate Humid Zone of Europe’, in D. C. Adriano, (ed.), Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, U.S.A., pp. 61–84.
Manz, M., Weissflog, L., Kuhne, R. and Schuurmann, G.: 1999, ‘Ecotoxicological harzard and risk assessment of heavy metal contents in agricultural soils of Central Germany’, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety 42, 191–201.
Martin, C. W.: 1996, ‘Heavy metal concentrations in floodplain surface soils, Lahn River, Germany’, Environ. Geol. 30, 119–125.
Mendoza, C. A., Cortes, G. and Munoz, D.: 1996, ‘Heavy metal pollution in soils and sediments of rural developing district 063, Mexico’, Environ. Toxicol. Water Qual. 11, 327–333.
Reisenauer, H. M.: 1982, ‘Chromium’, in A. L. Page et al.(eds),Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd ed., Agron. Monogr. Vol. 9, ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, U.S.A., pp. 337–346.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 1986, ‘Acid Digestion of Sediment, Sludge and Soils’, in USEPA (ed.), Test Methods for Evaluating Soil Waste SW-846, USEPA, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hseu, ZY., Chen, ZS., Tsai, CC. et al. Digestion Methods for Total Heavy Metals in Sediments and Soils. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 141, 189–205 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021302405128
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021302405128