Voltammetric and spectroscopic determination of toxic metals in sediments and sea water of Salerno Gulf

In this present work the distribution of heavy metals in sea water and sedi ments of the Salerno Gulf is measured. The elements determined were Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and Hg, employing, as instrumental techniques, either differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) or graphite furnace atomic absor ption spectroscopy (GFAAS). A comparison of the results of the two analytic al techniques is also made. Mercury determination was carried out employing the cold vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS) technique, with SnC l2 as the reducing agent. The sample digestion was performed by a new proce dure using concentrated suprapure H2SO4-K2Cr2O7 mixture. The accuracy and p recision of the analytical procedure were evaluated employing Sea Water BCR -CRM 403 and Estuarine Sediment BCR-CRM 277 as reference materials. Accurac y, expressed as relative error e and precision, expressed as relative stand ard deviation s(r), were in order of 2 to 5%. For both matrices, the detect ion limits, for all the elements, were in the range mu g g(-1) to ng g(-1).