Solid Speciation and Selective Extraction Procedures: Trace Metal Distribution and Speciation in Coastal Sediments of the Adriatic Sea

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Studies on distribution and speciation of heavy metals in sediments can not only provide information on the degree of pollution, but also on the effective environmental impact, metal bioavailability, and their origin. Sediments, in fact, are important sinks for various substances including heavy metals, but they can also be a metal source. The extension of the phenomena depends on the association of the metals with the different phases of the sediments, defined as “solid speciation,” which is usually determined by utilizing selective sequential extraction procedures.