Flow injection-hydride generation system for the determination of arsenic by molecular emission cavity analysis

Abstract

A system is described that permits the simple and rapid determination of nanogram amounts of arsenic (0.1–10 µg ml^–1) in microlitre volumes of sample solutions by flow injection and hydride generation coupled with molecular emission cavity analysis. The effect of some interfering ions, including Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu, Te and Se, was eliminated or minimised by using a 0.01 M EDTA-0.2 M sodium iodide-1.5 M hydrochloric acid carrier solution in which the sample was injected. The method permits a sampling rate of ca. 100 measurements per hour. The method is illustrated by the determination of arsenic in NBS orchard leaves reference material with good accuracy.