Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.6
4.6
Journals
Molecules
Special Issues
Advances in Trace Element Analysis: Techniques and Applications
molecules-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Advances in Trace Element Analysis: Techniques and Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1009

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Davide Spanu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
Interests: analytical chemistry; ICP-MS; trace elements; speciation analysis; microplastics; environmental monitoring; pollutant degradation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Trace elements play a critical role in various environmental, biological, and industrial processes. Advances in analytical techniques have significantly improved our ability to detect, quantify, and speciate trace elements, providing deeper insights into their environmental behavior, bioavailability, and potential health risks. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent developments in trace element analysis, including innovative instrumental methods, sample preparation strategies, and approaches to the interpretation of data.

We welcome contributions that explore innovative techniques such as atomic spectrometry, mass spectrometry, chromatography, and hyphenated methods for trace element detection and speciation. This Special Issue will pay particular attention to emerging applications in environmental monitoring, food safety, human health, and material sciences.

By compiling cutting-edge research, this Special Issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of trace element dynamics and promote advancements in analytical methodologies that support the assessment of environmental and human health.

Dr. Davide Spanu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • trace element analysis
  • speciation techniques
  • environmental monitoring
  • atomic spectrometry
  • mass spectrometry
  • chromatography
  • bioavailability
  • environmental impact

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 1233 KB  
Article
Elemental Composition and Strontium Isotopic Ratio Analysis of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for Textile Applications
by Mirco Rivi, Veronica D’Eusanio, Andrea Marchetti, Emilio Bonfiglioli and Lorenzo Tassi
Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4573; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234573 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 335
Abstract
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is increasingly valued as a sustainable raw material for textile applications, yet reliable analytical tools to characterize and trace its origin are still limited. This study presents a pilot investigation on the elemental composition and strontium isotopic [...] Read more.
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is increasingly valued as a sustainable raw material for textile applications, yet reliable analytical tools to characterize and trace its origin are still limited. This study presents a pilot investigation on the elemental composition and strontium isotopic ratio (87Sr/86Sr) of Italian industrial hemp samples, with the aim of evaluating their potential as chemical markers for geographic traceability. Hemp stalks and fibers collected from different Italian regions were finely ground, mineralized using microwave-assisted digestion, and analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and multicollector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS). The analytical protocol was validated using certified reference materials, showing recoveries between 95.7% and 102.1%. The measured 87Sr/86Sr ratios ranged from 0.7085 to 0.7105, with consistent intra-sample reproducibility and values reflecting regional geochemical backgrounds. Elemental profiling revealed marked variability among samples, particularly Sr, Ca, Fe, and trace metals. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated partial clustering according to geographical origin, distinguishing northern from southern Italian samples. Heavy-metal concentrations (Hg, Pb, Cd) were well below international textile safety thresholds, confirming the environmental sustainability of local hemp cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Trace Element Analysis: Techniques and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1041 KB  
Article
Development and Comparison of New Voltammetric Procedures for the Determination of In(III) Using ASV and AdSV Techniques with SBiµE as an Green Working Electrode
by Malgorzata Grabarczyk and Wieslawa Cwikla-Bundyra
Molecules 2025, 30(22), 4377; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30224377 - 13 Nov 2025
Viewed by 345
Abstract
The article describes innovative procedures for determining In(III) using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) with cupferron as a chelating agent. In both procedures, an environmentally friendly solid bismuth microelectrode (SBiµE) with a diameter of 25 µm was used as [...] Read more.
The article describes innovative procedures for determining In(III) using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) with cupferron as a chelating agent. In both procedures, an environmentally friendly solid bismuth microelectrode (SBiµE) with a diameter of 25 µm was used as the working electrode. In both procedures, 0.1 mol L−1 acetate buffer with a pH of 3.0 ± 0.05 was used as the supporting electrolyte. The electrochemical measurement conditions were as follows: −2.4 V for a 20 s activation step and −1.2 V for a 20 s accumulation step for ASV, and −2.5 V for a 45 s activation step and −0.65 V for a 10 s accumulation step for AdSV. The signal was recorded as a result of a positive potential change from −1.0 to −0.3 V in the case of the ASV procedure and as a result of a negative potential change from −0.4 to −1.0 V in the case of the AdSV procedure. The calibration graph was linear from 5 × 10−9 mol L−1 to 5 × 10−7 mol L−1 with a detection limit of 1.4 × 10−9 mol L−1 for ASV and from 1 × 10−9 mol L−1 to 1 × 10−7 mol L−1 with a detection limit of 3.9 × 10−10 mol L−1 for AdSV. The effect of interferents such as surfactants, humic substances and EDTA on the analytical signal was compared in the case of signal recording using the ASV technique with the signal recorded using the AdSV technique. Based on the results obtained, it was determined how the charge of interferents affects the signal depending on the technique used. To validate the practical application of the developed procedures, an analysis of In(III) recovery from samples of the Baltic Sea and Synthetic Sea Water was performed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Trace Element Analysis: Techniques and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop