Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is an important and often limiting element in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. A lack of understanding of its distribution and structures in the environment limits the design of effective P mitigation and recovery approaches. Here we developed a robust method employing size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to an ICP-MS to determine the molecular weight (MW) distribution of P in environmental samples. The most abundant fraction of P varied widely in different environmental samples: (i) orthophosphate was the dominant fraction (93–100%) in one lake, two aerosols and DOC isolate samples, (ii) species of 400–600 Da range were abundant (74–100%) in two surface waters, and (iii) species of 150–350 Da range were abundant in wastewater effluents. SEC-DOC of the aqueous samples using a similar SEC column showed overlapping peaks for the 400–600 Da species in two surface waters, and for >20 kDa species in the effluents, suggesting that these fractions are likely associated with organic matter. The MW resolution and performance of SEC-ICP-MS agreed well with the time integrated results obtained using conventional ultrafiltration method. Results show that SEC in combination with ICP-MS and DOC has the potential to be a powerful and easy-to-use method in identifying unknown fractions of P in the environment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 264-271 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Water Research |
| Volume | 133 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 15 2018 |
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Keywords
- Dissolved organic carbon
- ICP-MS
- Molecular weight distribution
- Phosphorus
- Size exclusion chromatography
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecological Modeling
- Water Science and Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Pollution
Cite this
Size exclusion chromatography with online ICP-MS enables molecular weight fractionation of dissolved phosphorus species in water samples. / Venkatesan, Arjun K.; Gan, Wenhui; Ashani, Harsh; Herckes, Pierre; Westerhoff, Paul.
In: Water Research, Vol. 133, 15.04.2018, p. 264-271.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Size exclusion chromatography with online ICP-MS enables molecular weight fractionation of dissolved phosphorus species in water samples
AU - Venkatesan, Arjun K.
AU - Gan, Wenhui
AU - Ashani, Harsh
AU - Herckes, Pierre
AU - Westerhoff, Paul
PY - 2018/4/15
Y1 - 2018/4/15
N2 - Phosphorus (P) is an important and often limiting element in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. A lack of understanding of its distribution and structures in the environment limits the design of effective P mitigation and recovery approaches. Here we developed a robust method employing size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to an ICP-MS to determine the molecular weight (MW) distribution of P in environmental samples. The most abundant fraction of P varied widely in different environmental samples: (i) orthophosphate was the dominant fraction (93–100%) in one lake, two aerosols and DOC isolate samples, (ii) species of 400–600 Da range were abundant (74–100%) in two surface waters, and (iii) species of 150–350 Da range were abundant in wastewater effluents. SEC-DOC of the aqueous samples using a similar SEC column showed overlapping peaks for the 400–600 Da species in two surface waters, and for >20 kDa species in the effluents, suggesting that these fractions are likely associated with organic matter. The MW resolution and performance of SEC-ICP-MS agreed well with the time integrated results obtained using conventional ultrafiltration method. Results show that SEC in combination with ICP-MS and DOC has the potential to be a powerful and easy-to-use method in identifying unknown fractions of P in the environment.
AB - Phosphorus (P) is an important and often limiting element in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. A lack of understanding of its distribution and structures in the environment limits the design of effective P mitigation and recovery approaches. Here we developed a robust method employing size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to an ICP-MS to determine the molecular weight (MW) distribution of P in environmental samples. The most abundant fraction of P varied widely in different environmental samples: (i) orthophosphate was the dominant fraction (93–100%) in one lake, two aerosols and DOC isolate samples, (ii) species of 400–600 Da range were abundant (74–100%) in two surface waters, and (iii) species of 150–350 Da range were abundant in wastewater effluents. SEC-DOC of the aqueous samples using a similar SEC column showed overlapping peaks for the 400–600 Da species in two surface waters, and for >20 kDa species in the effluents, suggesting that these fractions are likely associated with organic matter. The MW resolution and performance of SEC-ICP-MS agreed well with the time integrated results obtained using conventional ultrafiltration method. Results show that SEC in combination with ICP-MS and DOC has the potential to be a powerful and easy-to-use method in identifying unknown fractions of P in the environment.
KW - Dissolved organic carbon
KW - ICP-MS
KW - Molecular weight distribution
KW - Phosphorus
KW - Size exclusion chromatography
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041422949&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85041422949&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.01.048
DO - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.01.048
M3 - Article
VL - 133
SP - 264
EP - 271
JO - Water Research
JF - Water Research
SN - 0043-1354
ER -