Summary
Chromium concentrations in natural waters range from 2 to 5 nmol kg−1 in open ocean water up to 100 nmol kg−1 in freshwater. Its oceanic behavior is complicated by the occurrence of two important oxidation states with very different properties and possible organically bound species. Cr(III) has a significant affinity for suspended particulate matter and is readily adsorbed to it in the water column and in the sediment. Cr(VI), as the thermodynamically stable form in sea water, is the dominant species. It is also known to be of much higher toxicity than Cr(III), which is generally accepted as an essential trace element. Sources for chromium in the oceans are mineral weathering processes and riverine and atmospheric input. The possibility of conversion between different species impedes the determination and classification of chromium compounds particularly when preliminary separation and preconcentration steps are necessary to determine the very low levels of chromium in natural waters.
Zusammenfassung
Chrom-Konzentrationen in natürlichen Gewässern reichen von 2 bis 5 nmol·kg−1 im Wasser des offenen Ozeans bis zu 100 nmol·kg−1 in Süßwasser. Das Verhalten des Chroms im Ozean ist komplex, da es in zwei wichtigen Oxidationsstufen vorkommt, die sehr unterschiedliche Eigenschaften haben und außerdem noch organisch gebundene Formen des Chroms möglich sind. Cr(III) zeigt eine besonders starke Bindung an suspendierte Schwebstoffteilchen und wird leicht in der Wassersäule und im Sediment an diese adsorbiert.
Cr(VI) ist die thermodynamisch stabile Form im Meerwasser und deshalb die vorherrschende Bindungsform. Es ist bekannt, daß dieses eine wesentlich höhere Toxizität als Cr(III) hat, welches wiederum allgemein als ein essentielles Spurenelement angesehen wird. Quellen für Chrom in den Ozeanen sind Verwitterungsprozesse der Gesteine und Eintrag durch Flüsse und die Atmosphäre.
Die Möglichkeit der Umwandlung zwischen den verschiedenen Wertigkeitsstufen des Chroms erschwert die analytische Bestimmung der Chromverbindungen, vor allem wenn vorher Abtrennungs- und Anreicherungsschritte notwendig sind, um die sehr niedrigen Konzentrationen von Chrom in natürlichen Gewässern zu messen.
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Geisler, CD., Schmidt, D. An overview of chromium in the marine environment. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 44, 185–196 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02226462
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02226462