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Elements Associated with the Cadmium Phase in a Harbor Sediment as Determined with the Electron Beam Microprobe
Author(s) -
Lee F. Y.,
Kittrick J. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1984.00472425001300030002x
Subject(s) - cadmium , electron microprobe , sediment , zinc , metal , microprobe , chemistry , carbonate , phase (matter) , environmental chemistry , extraction (chemistry) , mineralogy , analytical chemistry (journal) , geology , chromatography , paleontology , organic chemistry
A heavy metal‐contaminated harbor sediment was examined with the electron beam microprobe in order to obtain specific information with regard to the elements associated with the Cd phase(s). Approximately 4.4 × 10 4 particles were scanned in order to locate 18 that produced > 100 counts/s Cd K α X‐radiation. Of these Cd‐rich particles, 72% were < 10 µ m in diameter. For these particles, Cd was most frequently associated with S (in ca. 89% of the particles, presumably as S 2− ), rather than with the carbonate indicated by a chemical extraction method on the whole soil. Zinc was also significantly associated with Cd (in ca. 72% of the particles). Cadmium appeared to be precipitated with the associated elements rather than being adsorbed on the surfaces of the selected 18 particles. The formation of Cd sulfides in the sediment can be predicted from thermodynamic calculations, combined with a few reasonable assumptions.