Analysis of Seawater

Book excerpt: Analysis of Seawater deals with the investigation of the micro-constituents in seawater in terms of nutrient content and environmental concerns. The book describes sampling, determination of anions, analysis of dissolved gases, and metal preconcentration techniques. The book also deals with monitoring radioactive elements, the determination of seawater organics, organometallic compounds, and the oxygen-demand parameters in seawater. It describes in detail surface and deep water sampling, the types of devices used, storage, preservation, and prevention of contamination during sample analysis. In examining dissolved gases, the investigator can use the amperometric titrimetric method (with some reservations) on chlorine, the ultraviolet method on ozone, electron capture gas chromatography on nitric oxide, and also the flow injection analysis on hydrogen sulphide. The methods for determining metals in seawater concern either for single element or for groups of elements. The investigator should always initiate various pre-concentration techniques when determining metals due to their low concentration and occurrence in seawater. The investigator uses various methods to determine different radioactive compounds such as uranium, polonium, thorium, radium, barium, radon, plutonium, strontium-90, and cesium-137. The book can be beneficial for meteorologists, environmentalists, marine ecologists, biologists, oceanographers, fisheries experts, for students studying hydrology, meteorology, as well as for river and lake authorities.