Dear Colleagues,

Nature, as a matter of fact, has chosen to use mainly relatively light elements for basic biochemical functions. Considering instead heavy metals and metalloids, we know that they can also be essential to life, but only at very low levels, while, at excessive levels, they become toxic and can cause harm. Environmental pollution by heavy metal(loid)s is a global problem. As an example, traces of Pb and Cu have been detected in polar ice layers related to the periods of the Roman Empire and even of the Greek Civilization. More recently, starting from the industrial revolution, the problem has become more general.

Thanks to the impressive developments of instrumental analytical chemistry in the last three or four decades, it has been possible to reveal and demonstrate clearly the planetary level of heavy metal(loid) pollution. This, in turn, has led to sensitizing the scientific and economic community, as well as the public and policy-makers, to take action that, in turn, led in some cases to significant reductions of heavy metal(loid) pollution. We can quote the case of the reduction of Pb emissions in the atmosphere due to the phasing-out of the metal from gasoline. In response to this action, analytical chemists has recently revealed signals of lead pollution decrease in the environment. This occurred first in polar snow and then, more recently, also in the oceanic waters, where the content is coming back to preindustrial values.

Nevertheless, challenges for environmental analytical chemists are not finished. These refer to (non-exhaustive list): the capacity to determine always lower concentrations; the ability to determine chemical species or groups of species (speciation) of major relevance from the point of view of mobilization in the environment and toxicity for organisms and humans; the improvements in sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, precision and analysis rapidity using techniques increasingly sophisticated; the possibility to carry out spatio-temporal analyses to obtain clear descriptions of processes which develop in space and time; the capacity (through unmanned vehicles) to make investigations in areas which are impervious, unreachable and/or dangerous for humans.

The present Special Issue on "Determination of Trace Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Environmental Samples" has the broad scope to provide an overview of current trends in analytical methods to determine heavy metal(loid)s in environmental matrices. Contributions, in the form of original research or review articles, are expected to include fundamental studies referred to set up of specific analytical methods, as well as real-case multidisciplinary investigations. Applications extend to extreme environments (such as Polar Regions, high altitude lands, deserts, stratosphere, ocean depths and floors), to inaccessible sites (using unmanned vehicles), to all kinds of biota, to humans, to food and beverage, etc. In addition to “heavy” metal(loid)s we expect that authors will add also other major and minor constituents, and also limited organic compounds, to give full characterization of matrices, when appropriate for the completeness of the study reported. Studies of environmental chemometrics are also welcome.

We believe that this Special Issue will present challenging scientific approaches and recent and emerging issues and visions for the future. Thus, it covers, but is not limited to, new analytical methods and instrumental techniques, new sample treatments and instrumental set up, novel analytical applications both in abiotic and biotic matrices, and case studies on environmental monitoring for the determination of trace heavy metal(loid)s in environmental specimens.

All papers will be published individually as soon as they are accepted, which ensures very fast publication speed for individually articles.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Scarponi
Prof. Dr. Cristina Truzzi
Prof. Dr. Anna Annibaldi
Prof. Dr. Silvia Illuminati
Guest Editors

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• environmental analytical chemistry
• trace heavy metals and metalloids
• chemical speciation
• instrumental analysis
• new analytical methods and techniques
• sample pre-treatment
• extreme environments
• case studies of environmental monitoring
• reviews
• emerging environmental issues

• Determination of Trace Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Environmental and Food Samples II in Molecules (9 articles)