Separation of seven arsenic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line detection by hydrogen–argon flame atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

Seven molecular forms of arsenic were separated by anion- and cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with on-line detection by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The interfacing was established by a vented poly(tetrafluoroethylene) capillary tubing connecting the HPLC column to the nebulizer of the atomic absorption spectrometer. Arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA) were separated from each other and from the co-injected cationic arsenic compounds, arsenobetaine (AsB), arsenocholine (AsC) and the tetramethylarsonium ion (TMAs) on an organic polymeric anion-exchange column with 0.1 mol dm^–3 carbonate at pH 10.3 as the mobile phase. The three cationic species were separated from each other and from the co-injected anionic species on a silica based cation-exchange column with pyridine at a pH of 2.65 as the mobile phase. The signal-to-noise ratio of the on-line AAS detector was optimized. This involved the use of the hydrogen–argon–entrained air flame, a slotted tube atom trap in the flame for signal enhancement, electronic noise damping and a high-intensity light source. The detection limits in µg cm^–3, using 100 mm³ injections of mixtures of arsenic standards into the HPLC system were: arsenite, As^III 1.1; arsenate, As^v 1.4; MMA 1.4; DMA 0.7; AsB 0.3; AsC 0.5; and the TMAs 0.4. The HPLC–AAS system was used for the analysis of arsenic species in aqueous extracts of soil samples from a polluted land site. Only arsenate was found in the soil extracts. For comparison, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was also used as an on-line detection technique with the same HPLC systems.