Diffusive gradients in thin films

Post-deployment analysis of the binding gel can be used to determine the time-weighted-average bulk solution concentration of the element or compound via a simple equation.

Further characterisation of DGT, including the results of field deployments in the Menai Strait and the North Atlantic Ocean, was published in 1995.

[18] DGT has also been developed and calibrated for the measure of radionuclides, including for the analysis of actinides such as U, Pu, Am and Cm, both in the environment[19] and even in cooling pools for spent nuclear fuel rods.

Davison and Zhang, and sells ready-made DGT® devices for water, soil and sediment deployments to measure different analytes, as well as the component parts for self-assembly.

[24] DGT devices can be directly deployed in aqueous environmental media, including natural waters, sediments, and soils.

[4]: 4.2.1 [25][9] Modifications to the diffusive gel (e.g. increasing or decreasing the thickness) can also be undertaken to ensure low detection limits.

[4]: 4.2.1  NaOH can be used to elute most oxyanions from Zr-Oxide(Ding et al., 2010, 2011,2016; Sun et al.,2014).The eluent can then be quantitatively analysed via a range of analytical techniques, including but not limited to: ICP-MS, GFAAS[4]: 4.2.1  ICP-OES, AAS,[22] UV-Vis spectroscopy or computer imaging densitometry.

[4]: Eq.2  More elaborate analysis techniques may be required in cases where the ionic strength of the water is low and where significant organic matter is present.

According to DGT theory, the concentration of an analyte, [C], tends toward 0 (μg/L, ng/L, etc.) as the analyte approaches the binding layer, passing through the diffusive boundary layer (DBL, ẟ) and the DGT device's diffusive gel (thickness of Δg). No reverse diffusion of the analyte back into the solution is assumed to occur.
A photo of a disassembled DGT device, showing piston and cap. The device in this picture has been fitted with activated carbon for assimilating gold and/or bisphenols .
DGT devices being deployed into groundwater in the Tanami Desert , Australia.