Analusis 27, 795-803 (1999)
DOI: 10.1051/analusis:1999146

Arsenic speciation by hydride generation-Quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Optimization of analytical parameters and application to environmental samples

N. Molénat¹, A. Astruc¹, M. Holeman¹, G. Maury² and R. Pinel<sup>1

1</sup>  Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bioinorganique et Environnement, E.P.132, Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Avenue de l'Université, 64000 Pau, France
²  Département de Chimie Organique Fine, Université Montpellier II des Sciences et Techniques, 34095 Montpellier 5, France

(Received April, 21, 1999; revised July, 18, 1999; accepted July, 21, 1999.)

Abstract
Analytical parameters of hydride generation, trapping, gas chromatography and atomic absorption spectrometry detection in a quartz cell furnace (HG/GC/QFAAS) device have been optimized in order to develop an efficient and sensitive method for arsenic compounds speciation. Good performances were obtained with absolute detection limits in the range of 0.1 - 0.5 ng for arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) and trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO). A pH selective reduction for inorganic arsenic speciation was successfully reported. Application to the accurate determination of arsenic compounds in different environmental samples was performed.

Key words: Atomic absorption spectrometry -- hydride generation -- arsenic -- arsenite -- arsenate -- methylarsenic acid -- dimethylarsenic acid -- trimethylarsine oxide -- speciation -- environmental samples.


© EDP Sciences, Wiley-VCH 1999