Evaluation of speciation, transport and ecological risk of palladium, platinum and rhodium in urban stormwater systems

Paper in proceeding, 1999

It has now been shown that platinum group metals are emitted from autocatalysts into the environment. A comparison of platinum group metal determination in road sediments by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods showed that platinum and rhodium can be accurately determined while palladium determination is more difficult. Total concentrations of platinum and rhodium in road sediments have increased since 1984 and particularly since 1991. Laser ablation studies indicated that palladium and rhodium have a different mobility from platinum and because of this rhodium seems to exhibit a greater accumulation in the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus in urban rivers.