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This thesis reports on metal speciation studies of selected trace metals in different water systems, metal complexation studies of brewery and tannery wastewaters, and development of new chelating resins for possible use in trace metal enrichment and speciation. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine total and dissolved metal in the water samples, while stripping voltammetry (SV) at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) was used to determine labile metal fractions. The competing ligand exchange method using various ligands was used to estimate complexation capacities, with determination of labile metal forms using SV. Results show fast complexation kinetics and varying degrees of lability with respect to the different water sytems and the chelating agents.

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