Critical evaluation of a seaFAST system for the analysis of trace metals in marine samples

• Published in: Talanta
• Main Authors: Wuttig, Kathrin, Townsend, Ashley T., Merwe, Pier, Gault-Ringold, Melanie, Holmes, Thomas, Schallenberg, Christina, Latour, Pauline, Tonnard, Manon, Rijkenberg, Micha J. A., Lannuzel, Delphine, Bowie, Andrew R.
• Other Authors: Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE-CRC), University of Tasmania Hobart, Australia (UTAS), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies Hobart (IMAS), Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: ACL; sea-ice; iron; Seawater; southern-ocean; Trace metals; geotraces; extraction; chelating resin; dissolved manganese; flow-injection-analysis; phytoplankton blooms; Sea ice and brines; SeaFAST preconcentration system; seawater samples; sector; sf-icp-ms; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; Southern Ocean; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02920589; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2019.01.047

WOS:000460710200086 International audience A seawater preconcentration system (sPAFAST) with offline sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) detection was critically evaluated for ultra-low trace elemental analysis of Southern Ocean samples over a four-year period (2015-2018). The commercially available system employs two Nobias PAl resin columns for buffer cleaning and sample preconcentration, allowing salt matrix removal with simultaneous extraction of a range of trace elements. With a primary focus on method simplicity and practicality, a range of experimental parameters relevant to oceanographic analysis were considered, including reduction of blank levels (over weeks and years), instrument conditioning, extraction efficiencies over different pH ranges (5.8-6.4), and preconcentration factors (similar to 10-70 times). Conditions were optimised for the analysis of ten important trace elements (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ga, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ti and Zn) in open ocean seawater samples, and included initial pre-cleaning and conditioning of the seaFAST unit for one week before each separate analytical sequence; a controlled narrow buffer pH of 6.20 +/- 0.02 used for extraction; and a sample preconcentration factor of 10 for (relatively) concentrated rainwater or sea ice, 40 for typical seawater samples, and up to 67 times for seawater samples collected in the remote open ocean such as the Southern Ocean. Method accuracy (both short - days to weeks - and long term - months to years) were evaluated through extensive analysis of a range of oceanographic standard reference samples including SAFe D1 (n = 20), D2 (n = 3), S (n = 15), GEOTRACES GD (n = 6), GSC (n = 42) and GSP (n = 42), as well as NASS-6 (n = 6). Measured values for oceanographic samples were found to agree with consensus values to within +/- 6% for Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn. Offsets were noted for Co (labile fraction only; no UV oxidation), Mn (difference also noted in other recent studies) and Ti (limited reference values). No ...