A field aluminium speciation method to study the aluminium hazard in water

The toxicity of aluminium is governed by its bioavailability. Therefore, th e speciation of aluminium in drinking water becomes of prime importance to understand its fate and the population exposure, and to develop guidelines fur the concentration levels. At Health Canada, a field speciation method h as been developed to perform on-site speciation followed by measurement of Al in the laboratory. The following species are generated: I) total recover able; 2) total acid-leacheable; 3) total dissolved; 4) dissolved extracted; and 5) dissolved non extracted. The field extractions are performed by per colation through chelation columns, which are later processed in the labora tory. Aluminium determinations can then be performed by numerous methods, s uch as by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS), Graphite Fu rnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS) or Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). Examples of results for raw or trea ted/distributed surface waters, as well as for groundwaters, are used to il lustrate the validity of the method, and the importance of considering alum inium speciation in characterizing the aluminium hazard in water.