K. Friese et al., DETERMINATION OF HEAVY-METALS IN BIOFILMS FROM THE RIVER-ELBE BY TOTAL-REFLECTION X-RAY-FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY, Spectrochimica acta, Part B: Atomic spectroscopy, 52(7), 1997, pp. 1019-1025
Heavy metal contents of aquatic biofilms isolated from stones collecte
d from, and ceramic plates exposed in, the River Elbe were determined
by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). The fracti
ons of several elements (K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb) referred t
o the dry mass are 100 to 60 000-fold higher in the biofilm matrix com
pared with the bulk water phase. Biofilms grown on the exposed plates
have a mass fraction of the determined elements higher by a factor of
2-3 compared with the biofilms derived from stones. These differences
may be attributed to the different ages of the biofilms. (C) 1997 Else
vier Science B.V.