Chitosan for the collection from seawater of naturally occurring zinc, cadmium, lead and copper.

Anodic stripping voltammetry with a composite graphite-mercury electrode was applied in order to demonstrate that chitosan can collect naturally occurring zinc, cadmium, lead and copper from sea-water, with high yields. Chitosan columns (15 x 10mm) can be used to preconcentrate trace metals from 3 1. of sea-water; the four elements can be selectively eluted with electrolytes suitable for conventional polarographic determinations. The method can find application in sea-water pollution survey and detection.