Organometallic compounds in the environment : what have we learned ?

The fate of trace metals in the environment and their impact have been a major concern for more than 20 years. Most previous studies have been limited to total metal determination. in general organometallic forms of metals are much more toxic than their inorganic counterparts. Today, the linking of gas or liquid separation techniques with atomic spectrometry detectors will help improve our understanding of the intricate and critical cycles of organometallic forms of metals and metalloids throughout the environment.