Investigation on the interaction between trace metals and humic acid in seawater

The interactions between trace metals and humic acid in seawater influence the metal species distribution and the various geochemical pathways. An approach for investigating these interactions based on stripping polarography is proposed. The basic principle is that the half-wave potentials of the stripping polarogram shift negatively with the increase of concentrations of humic acid. From the results of calculation, it may be concluded that the species of Pb-HA complex is less than 5% of total lead in seawater but has significant percentage in estuary, and that Pb-HA complex exists mainly as 1∶1 form. Contribution No. 1509 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica