Determination of aluminium in natural water samples

The atmospheric deposition of terrestrial dust into the ocean is an important factor in controlling Earth's climate. Aluminium can be used as a tracer for the magnitude and location of dust transported from the land to surface ocean. The element is ideal for this purpose since its primary input is via aeolian dust deposition and it has a short surface water residence time. The accurate determination of dissolved aluminium in seawater is difficult due to the complexity of the matrix and the trace (nanomolar) concentrations at which the metal exists. This paper presents a critical review of the different sampling and analytical methods for the determination of the concentration of aluminium in natural waters, with particular focus on techniques successfully applied to shipboard analysis of seawater. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.