Aluminium

In aqueous media aluminium is strongly hydrolysed and present predominantly at circumneutral pH as Al(OH)₃. It can be measured using the standard DGT passive samplers for cations with a Chelex binding layer, but better performance is achieved using the standard DGT passive samplers for anions or neutral species, with a titanium oxide binding layer known as Metsorb.

When measuring solely Al or Al simultaneously with oxyanions the standard Metsorb devices can be used.

For deployments in all types of waters you will need device LSNT-NP

For deployment in soils^A you will need device LSLT-NP

For deployments in sediments^B you will need LSPT-NP

When measuring Al simultaneously with other cations with or without oxyanions a mixed binding layer of Chelex and Metsorb is recommended. Note that Al may be found in both acid and alkaline eluents used.

For deployments in all types of waters you will need device LSNX-NP

For deployment in soils^A you will need device LSLX-NP

For deployments in sediments^B you will need LSPX-NP

Detailed instructions for the use of most DGT passive samplers are available.

^AThese soil devices are designed for deployment in homogenised hydrated soil samples.

^BThe sediment probes can be inserted directly into sediment and have a large enough area (exposure window 150 x 18 mm) to be capable of providing spatial information, e.g. vertical profiles or 2-D images. They have also been used to obtain similar information in hydrated soils (e.g. Luo et al., 2013).