Analytical methodologies for aluminium speciation in environmental and biological samples – a review

It is recognized that aluminium (Al) is a potential environmental hazard. Acidic deposition has been linked to increased Al concentrations in natural waters. Elevated levels of Al might have serious consequences for biological communities. Of particular interest is the speciation of Al in aquatic environments, because Al toxicity depends on its forms and concentrations. In this paper, advances in analytical methodologies for Al speciation in environmental and biological samples during the past five years are reviewed. Concerns about the specific problems of Al speciation and highlights of some important methods are elucidated in sections devoted to hybrid techniques (HPLC or FPLC coupled with ET–AAS, ICP– AES, or ICP–MS), flow-injection analysis (FIA), nuclear magnetic resonance (27Al NMR), electrochemical analysis, and computer simulation. More than 130 references are cited.