Electrochemical determination of thiosulfate in seawater in the presence of elemental sulfur and sulfide

Electrochemical Evidence of non-Volatile Reduced Sulfur Species in Water-Soluble Fraction of Fine Marine Aerosols

The traditional voltammetric method at the mercury electrode, and an acidification step developed for the determination of reduced sulfur species (RSS) in natural waters, was for the first time used for the quantification of RSS in the water-soluble fraction of fine marine aerosols collected at the Middle Adriatic location (Rogoznica Lake). The evidence of two types of non-volatile RSS that have different interaction with the Hg electrode was confirmed: mercapto-type which complexes Hg as RS–Hg and sulfide/S0-like compounds which deposits HgS. The analytical protocol that was used for RSS determination in aerosol samples is based on separate voltammetric studies of a methyl 3-mercaptopropionate (3-MPA) as a representative of mercapto-type compounds and sulfide as a representative of inorganic RSS. Our preliminary study indicates the presence of mainly RS–Hg compounds in spring samples, ranging from 2.60–15.40 ng m−3, while both, the mercapto-type (0.48–2.23 ng m−3) and sulfide and/or S0-like compounds (0.02–0.26 ng m−3) were detected in early autumn samples. More expressed and defined RS–Hg peaks recorded in the spring potentially indicate their association with biological activity in the area. Those samples were also characterized by a higher water-soluble organic carbon content and a more abundant surface-active fraction, pointing to enhanced solubility and stabilization of RSS in the aqueous atmospheric phase.

Microbial diversity and long-term geochemical trends in the euxinic zone of a marine, meromictic lake

Hypoxic and anoxic niches of meromictic lakes are important sites for studying the microbial ecology of conditions resembling ancient Earth. The expansion and increasing global distribution of such environments also means that information about them serves to understand future phenomena. In this study, a long-term chemical dataset (1996-2015) was explored together with seasonal (in 2015) information on the diversity and abundance of bacterial and archaeal communities residing in the chemocline, monimolimnion and surface sediment of the marine meromictic Rogoznica Lake. The results of quantitative PCR assays, and high-throughput sequencing, targeting 16S rRNA genes and transcripts, revealed a clear vertical structure of the microbial community with Gammaproteobacteria (Halochromatium) and cyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp.) dominating the chemocline, Deltaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes dominating the monimolimnion, and significantly more abundant archaeal populations in the surface sediment, most of which affiliated to Nanoarchaeota. Seasonal changes in the community structure and abundance were not pronounced. Diversity in Rogoznica Lake was found to be high, presumably as a consequence of stable environmental conditions accompanied by high dissolved carbon and nutrient concentrations. Long-term data indicated that Rogoznica Lake exhibited climate changes that could alter its physico-chemical features and, consequently, induce structural and physiological changes within its microbial community.

Chronoamperometric study of elemental sulphur (S) nanoparticles (NPs) in NaCl water solution: new methodology for S NPs sizing and detection

BACKGROUND

Elemental sulfur (S) persists in natural aquatic environment in a variety of forms with different size distributions from dissolved to particulate. Determination of S speciation mainly consists of the application of chromatographic and electrochemical techniques while its size determination is limited only to the application of microscopic and light scattering techniques. S biological and geochemical importance together with recent increases of S industrial applications requires the development of different analytical tools for S sizing and quantification. In recent years the use of electrochemical measurements as a direct, fast, and inexpensive technique for the different nanoparticles (NPs) characterization (Ag, Au, Pt) is increasing. In this work, electrochemical i.e. chronoamperometric measurements at the Hg electrode are performed for determination of the size distribution of the S NPs.

RESULTS

S NPs were synthesized in aqueous medium by sodium polysulphide acidic hydrolysis. Chronoamperometric measurements reveal the polydisperse nature of the formed suspension of S NPs. The electrochemical results were compared with dynamic light scattering measurements parallel run in the same S NPs suspensions. The two methods show fairly good agreement, both suggesting a log-normal size distribution of the S NPs sizes characterized by similar parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The preliminary results highlight the amperometric measurements as a promising tool for the size determination of the S NPs in the water environment.

Electrochemical and colorimetric measurements show the dominant role of FeS in a permanently anoxic lake

Recent publications have shown that the anodic reaction between FeS and Hg can be used for electrochemical detection of colloidal and particulate FeS in natural waters. Anodic waves that were recorded around -0.45 V (vs Ag/AgCl) in model solutions correspond to the electrochemical transformation of nanoparticulate FeS to HgS. Here, as a further step, the proposed approach is tested on anoxic, sulfidic, and iron-rich samples of a meromictic freshwater lake (Lake Pavin, France). Based on new and more comprehensive work on FeS electrochemistry in model and anoxic Lake Pavin samples, a new interpretation is given for previously recorded voltammetric signals in sulfide and iron rich environment, usually designated FeS(aq), and its role in controlling solubility of different FeS phases. A comparison of the depth profiles of S(-II) measured by voltammetry and the methylene blue method showed that the majority of S(-II) is in the form of FeS. In the monimolimnion layer, thermodynamic calculations based on total Fe(II) and S(-II) concentration, measured by ferrozine and the methylene blue method, predict precipitation of FeS with log K(s) values between -3.6 and -3.8, very close to mackinawite's K(s) value. In the upper part of the same layer, precipitation of greigite is predicted. It is shown that modification of a Hg electrode by surface-formed FeS has a significant influence on voltammetric Fe(II) determination, since reduction of Fe(II) under such conditions occurs both on bare (-1.4 V) and on FeS modified Hg surfaces (-1.1 V); Fe(II) may be underdetermined when only the -1.4 V peak is measured.

Voltammetric characterization of metal sulfide particles and nanoparticles in model solutions and natural waters

Voltammetric scans in sulfidic natural waters often reveal reduction peaks in the range -0.9 to -1.35 V versus Ag/AgCl. These peaks have been attributed to iron sulfide complexes or clusters. However, sols containing CuS nanoparticles now also are known to produce reduction peaks in this range. Here we investigate the voltammetric behavior of two additional metal sulfides at the Hg electrode in 0.55 M NaCl + 0.03 M NaHCO3 electrolyte, pH=8.5. We show that Pb and Hg sulfides, either as suspended powders or as precipitated nanoparticles, also yield cathodic peaks between -0.9 and -1.35 V, similar to peaks obtained with CuS and FeS. For precipitated nanoparticles, the position and shape of these reduction peaks change with ageing. Freshly formed nanoparticles produce less negative reduction peaks than aged nanoparticles. Peaks from aged nanoparticles often consist of two or more superimposed reduction peaks. When all other experimental parameters are held constant, the amount of nanoparticle analyte accumulated on the electrode increases with the amount of ageing (< or = 1 h). Addition of EDTA or acidification followed by purging can be used to distinguish PbS nanoparticles and Fe sulfide clusters from CuS and HgS nanoparticles or from colloidal S. This test was applied to interpret -0.9 to -1.35 V reduction peaks observed in two meromictic lakes. In conjunction with other evidence, this test suggests that FeS clusters are present in one case whereas colloidal S is present in the other. Interpreting -0.9 to -1.35 V voltammetric peaks observed in sulfidic natural waters requires caution, but these peaks are potentially rich sources of information about trace metal speciation.

Electrochemical determination of dissolved uranium in Krka River estuary

The applicability of the previously developed method for electrochemical determination of dissolved uranium concentration has been tested on natural water samples taken from the Krka river estuary during various seasons and along different depth profiles. The method is based on the following treatment of the sample: destroying the uranyl-carbonato complexes by adjusting the pH to 3, enabling the formation of adsorbable uranyl-hydroxo complexes by adjusting the pH to 6.5-7.0 and measurement by cathodic stripping voltammetry technique. As the signal of the dissolved uranium reduction is sometimes masked by the signal of the matrix of the sample, a resolution enhancement including digestion and/or deconvolution has to be applied. The measured concentration of dissolved uranium varies in the range from 0.4 to 3.3 x 10(-8) mol l-1, corresponding to the data found in the literature. The depth profile of dissolved uranium concentration distributions shows conservative behaviour. The X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) confirmed the applicability of the method, yet pointing out to its limitations caused by the matrix of the solution.