Arsenic species analysis in freshwater using liquid chromatography combined to hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A novel pretreatment system and method for arsenic species continuous analysis of arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsonate (DMA) in freshwater using liquid chromatography combined to hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LC-HG-AFS) was designed. Arsenic species of As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA in freshwater samples can be well separated, and the analytical time using the developed method is shortened twice compared to the conventional analytical procedure. Besides, the signal of As(V) can be increased by about 50% and the sensitivity to As(V) has been enhanced. The common coexisting ions in freshwater samples have no interferences with arsenic speciation analysis. A sensitive, low cost and interference-free procedure was developed and successfully applied to arsenic speciation in freshwater with the recoveries of four arsenic species within 89.2-106.2%. LC-HG-AFS has good prospects for speciation analysis of trace and ultra trace elements allowing for hydride generation.