Speciation analysis of selenium in natural water using square-wave voltammetry after preconcentration on activated carbon

A simple, accurate, sensitive and selective method was described for rapid determination of ultra-trace quantities of selenium. Selenium(IV) was collected on activated carbon (AC) after reduction to elemental Se by l-ascorbic acid. The collected selenium was then dissolved by oxidation reaction with bromate in acidic media and was indirectly determined through the bromide formation using square-wave voltammetry (OSWV). The total amount of Se(IV) and Se(VI) was collected on AC after its reduction by hydrazine. Selenium in the range 0.01-20 μg L⁻¹ could be determined by this method. The method was used to the determination of Se(IV) and Se(VI) in natural water with satisfactory results.     

Determination of selenium(IV) and other forms of selenium dissolved in sea water by anion-exchange resin loaded with sulfonic acid derivative of bismuthiol-II and hydride generation atomic-absorption spectrometry

Summary A sulfonic acid derivative of bismuthiol-II (bisIIS) was synthesized from 4-hydrazinobenzene sulfonic acid and carbon disulfide. Selenium(IV) was adsorbed selectively and quantitatively on the anion-exchange resin loaded with bis-IIS. Selenium adsorbed on the resin was eluted by the use of penicillamine and determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (hydride generation/AAS). Selenium(VI) and other forms of selenium, which were not adsorbed onto the resin, were collected on the resin after digestion with nitric acid followed by reduction with hydrochloric acid. Separative preconcentration of selenium(IV), selenium(VI) and other forms of selenium in 0.5 mol/l sodium chloride could be carried out successfully by the proposed procedures. However, in the case of estuarial sea water containing a large quantity of organic substances, selenium(IV) could not be separated, because organic substances interfered with the reduction of selenium(VI) to selenium(IV) by the use of hydrochloric acid. Selenium(IV) and total amount of selenium(VI) and other forms of selenium dissolved in polluted sea water samples were determined by the proposed procedures.

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Bestimmung von Selen (IV) und anderen in Meereswasser gelösten Selenformen mit Hilfe eines mit dem Sulfonsäurederivat von Bismuthiol-II beladenen Anionenaustauschers und der Hydrid-AAS

     

The effect of the presence of volatile organoselenium compounds on the determination of inorganic selenium by hydride generation

As a result of microbiological activity it is possible to find dimethylselenium (DMSe) and dimethyldiselenium (DMDSe) in a wide type of environmental samples, such as soils, sediments, sewage sludges and plants where methylation can take place.Selenium determination by hydride-generation (HG) techniques requires its presence as Se(IV). Consequently, inorganic speciation by hydride generation techniques is done by first determining Se(IV) and then, after reduction of Se (VI) to Se(IV), the total selenium. Therefore, the concentration of Se (VI) is evaluated as the difference between total inorganic selenium and Se(IV). In the present work it could be demonstrated that DMSe and DMDSe are forming other volatile species by reaction with sodium borohydride, applying the same reduction condition as for inorganic selenium. These species are subsequently detected by several atomic techniques (atomic absorption AAS, atomic fluorescence AFS and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry ICP-MS). The error that their presence can cause in determination of inorganic selenium has been evaluated. The magnitude of this error depends on the specific analytical detector used.The coupling of pervaporation-atomic fluorescence is proposed for the identification of these species and pervaporation-gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence for their individual quantification.     

Spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of selenium with catalytic reduction of bromate by hydrazine in hydrochloric acid media

A method is presented for the determination of selenium, based on the catalytic effect of selenium(IV) on the reduction reaction of BrO(-)(3) by N(2)H(4).2HCl. The decolourization of Methyl Orange by the reaction products was used to monitor the reaction spectrophotometrically at 525 nm. This method is precise, highly sensitive, simple, rapid, widely applicable and selective for the determination of selenium(IV) and total selenium. The variables which affected the reaction rate were fully investigated and the optimum conditions were established. Selenium, as low as 1 ng/ml, can be determined by this method. The relative standard deviation of 20 ng of selenium was 0.94% (N = 10). The method was applied to the determination of Se(IV) in a health-care product.     

Spectrophotometric catalytic determination of ultra-trace amounts of selenium based on the reduction of resazurin by sulphide

A sensitive catalytic method for determining ng ml^? concentration of selenium is described. The method is based on the catalytic action of Se(IV) on the reduction of resazurin by sulphide, monitored spectrophotometrically at 605 nm. The linearity range of the calibration graph is dependent on the concentration of sulphide. The variables affecting the rate of the reaction were investigated and the optimum conditions were established. The method is simple, rapid, precise, sensitive and widely applicable. As low as 8.0 × 10^?4 μg ml^?1 of selenium can be determined. The relative standard deviation of seven determination of 10 ng Se was 0.7%. The determination of Se(IV) in the presence of Se(VI) and the determination of total selenium are also described.     

Magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction using modified magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes combined with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of selenium

A novel magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction method using magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified with 5-mercapto-3-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thione potassium salt (bismuthiol II) (MMWCNTs@Bis) as the sorbent was developed for the separation and preconcentration of inorganic selenium (IV) prior to its determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The prepared MMWCNTs@Bis sorbent was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and X-ray diffraction. Total selenium was determined after reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) by addition of hydrochloric acid and heating the mixture in a boiling water bath. Se(VI) concentration was determined from the difference between the amounts of total selenium and Se(IV). Under the optimised experimental conditions, an enhancement factor of 196 and a detection limit (based on 3S_b/m) of 0.003 µg L^?1 was obtained for aqueous samples. The relative standard deviation at 0.1 µg L^?1 concentration level of Se(IV) (n = 6) was found to be 5.2 and 7.7% for intra- and inter-day analysis, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of inorganic selenium species in water and total selenium in food samples.     

Rapid one-step derivatization of Se(VI) to a piazselenol for the spectrofluorimetric determination of selenium in biological material

A spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of total selenium in biological samples has been developed. After oxidative destruction, the sample is reacted with a mixture of bromide and 2,3-diamino-1,4-dibromonaphthalene (Br₂-DAN) without pH adjustment. Selenium(VI) is rapidly reduced by bromide to Se(IV) which then forms 4,7-dibromo-5,6-benzopiazselenol (Br₂-DAN-Se). The conversion of Se(VI) to Br₂-DAN-Se is completed in 6 min at 100°C. The piazselenol is extracted to cyclohexane and the fluorescence measured at 577 nm with excitation at 518 nm. The procedure has been validated by determinations on reference materials with selenium concentrations ranging from 4 to 1460 ng g⁻¹. The advantages of the method are the fast reduction of Se(VI) by hydrobromic acid and the properties of Br₂-DAN, which permit the piazselenol formation to be carried out in a strongly acidic medium and at high temperature. The limit of detection is 0.6 ng g⁻¹ as estimated by three times the standard deviation of the blank determination (n = 7).

The rate of reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) in hydrobromic acid was investigated as a function of concentration and temperature. The new kinetic data together with previous kinetic and equilibrium data for the piazselenol formation were used to model and optimize the simultaneous reduction-derivatization procedure.     

Organic and inorganic selenium speciation in environmental and biological samples by nanometer-sized materials packed dual-column separation/preconcentration on-line coupled with ICP-MS

A novel, fast, and cheap nonchromatographic method for direct speciation of dissolved inorganic and organic selenium species in environmental and biological samples was developed by flow injection (FI) dual-column preconcentration/separation on-line coupled with ICP-MS determination. In the developed technique, the first column packed with nanometer-sized Al(2)O(3) could selectively adsorb the inorganic selenium [Se(IV), Se(VI)], and the retained inorganic selenium could be eluted by 0.2 mol l(-1) NaOH, while the organic Se [selenocystine (SeCys(2)) and selenomethionine (Se-Met)] was not retained. On the other hand, the second column packed with mesoporous TiO(2) chemically modified by dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) could selectively adsorb Se(IV) and SeCys(2) and barely adsorb Se(VI) and Se-Met. When the sample solution was passed through the column 1, separation of inorganic selenium and organic selenium could be achieved first. Then, the effluent from column 1 was successively introduced into the column 2 and the speciation of organic selenium could be attained due to the different adsorption behaviors of Se-Met and SeCys(2) on DMSA modified TiO(2). After that, the eluent from column 1 contained Se(IV), and Se(VI) was adjusted to desired pH and injected into column 2, and the speciation of Se(IV) and Se(VI) could also be realized thanks to their different retention on column 2. The parameters affecting the separation were investigated systematically and the optimal separation conditions were established. The detection limits obtained for Se(IV), Se(VI), Se-Met and SeCys(2) were 45-210 ng l(-1) with precisions of 3.6-9.7%. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the speciation of dissolved inorganic and organic selenium in environmental and biological samples. In order to validate the methodology, the developed method was also applied to the speciation of selenium in certified reference material of SELM-1 yeast, and the determined values were in good agreement with the certified values.     

Cloud point extraction combined with electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the speciation of inorganic selenium in environmental water samples

A new method based on cloud point extraction (CPE) separation and electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICPMS) detection has been proposed for the speciation of inorganic selenium in environmental waters. When the temperature of the system is higher than the cloud point temperature (CPT) of the selected surfactant Triton X-114, the complex of Se(IV) with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) seems to be extracted into the surfactant-rich phase, whereas the Se(VI) remains in aqueous solutions. Thus, an in situ separation of Se(IV) and Se(VI) could be realized. The concentrated analyte was introduced into the ETV-ICP mass spectrometer for determination of Se((IV) after dilution with 200 microL methanol. Se(VI) was reduced to Se(IV) prior to determining total selenium, and its assay was based on subtracting Se(IV) from total selenium. The main factors affecting the CPE and the vaporization behavior of the analyte were investigated in detail. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for Se(IV) was 8.0 ng/L with an enhancement factor of 39 when 10 mL of sample solution was preconcentrated to 0.2 mL. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was found to be 3.9% (C(Se(IV)) = 1.0 microg/L, n = 7). The proposed method was applied to the speciation of inorganic selenium in different environmental water samples with the recovery for the spiked samples in the range of 82-102%.     

Speciation of selenium(IV) and selenium(VI) in environmental samples by the combination of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric determination and solid phase extraction on Diaion HP-2MG

A simple solid phase extraction procedure for speciation of selenium(IV) and selenium(VI) in environmental samples has been proposed prior to graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is based on the solid phase extraction of the selenium(IV)-ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) chelate on the Diaion HP-2MG. After reduction of Se(VI) by heating the samples in the microwave oven with 4 mol l⁻¹ HCl, the system was applied to the total selenium. Se(VI) was calculated as the difference between the total selenium content and Se(IV) content. The experimental parameters, pH, amounts of reagents, eluent type and sample volume were optimized. The recoveries of analytes were found greater than 95%. No appreciable matrix effects were observed. The adsorption capacity of sorbent was 5.20 mg g⁻¹ Se (IV). The detection limit of Se (IV) (3sigma, n = 11) is 0.010 μg l⁻¹. The preconcentration factor for the presented system was 100. The proposed method was applied to the speciation of selenium(IV), selenium(VI) and determination of total selenium in natural waters and microwave digested soil, garlic, onion, rice, wheat and hazelnut samples harvested various locations in Turkey with satisfactory results. In order to verify the accuracy of the method, certified reference materials (NIST SRM 2711 Montana Soil, NIST SRM 1568a Rice Flour and NIST SRM 8418 Wheat Gluten) were analyzed and the results obtained were in good agreement with the certified values. The relative errors and relative standard deviations were below 6 and 10%, respectively.     

Spectrofluorimetric kinetic determination of selenium (IV) by flow injection analysis in cationic micellar medium

A sensitive catalytic kinetic spectrofluorimetric method for determining ng ml(-1) of selenium by flow injection analysis has been developed. The method, based on the catalytic effect of Se (IV) on the reduction of resorufin by sulphide, in the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride, is monitored spectrofluorimetrically (lambda(ex)=480 nm; lambda(em)=583 nm). The linearity range of the calibration graph is dependent on the concentration of sulphide. The variables affecting the rate of the reaction were investigated. The method is simple, rapid, precise, sensitive, and widely applicable. The limit of detection is 1 ng ml(-1) Se (IV), and the calibration range is 5-1000 ng ml(-1). Sampling rate is 60 samples h(-1), and the relative standard deviation of 12 determinations of 100 ng ml(-1) Se was 0.76%. The determination of Se (IV) in the presence of Se (VI) and total selenium is described. The method was applied to the determination of Se in selenium tablets, and several synthetic samples.     

Differential-pulse polarographic determination of selenium species in contaminated waters

Selenium(IV), in the concentration range 2–100 μg l^?1 in contaminated waters, is determined by using the sensitive adsorption-controlled peak obtained by differential pulse polarography in dilute acid solution. Interfering heavy metals are removed on Chelex-100 resin. Selenium(VI) is not electroactive but can be determined after photolytic reduction in the absence of oxygen. Anion-exchange preconcentration is necessary if the total selenium is below the detection limit of 2 μg l^?1.     

Atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of ultramicro amounts of selenium(IV) and total selenium in sulphuric acid

Summary Ultramicro amounts of selenium in sulphuric acid are determined by a new atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. Selenium(IV) is directly determined ater extraction into toluene with an aromatic o-diamine and addition of nickel(II) prior to atomization; the determination of total selenium (0, IV and VI) needs a treatment of the sample with selected oxidizing and reducing agents.In the studied samples, total selenium (0.003–0.022 g of Se in 1 ml sulphuric acid) is present only in the tetravalent state. The detection limit of the method is 0.003 g of selenium.

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Atomabsorptions-spektralphotometrische Bestimmung von Ultramikromengen Selen(IV) und Gesamtselen in Schwefelsäure

Zusammenfassung Selen(IV) kann direkt bestimmt werden nach Toluolextraktion der mit einem aromatischen o-Diamin behandelten Lösung und Zusatz von Nickel(II). Die Bestimmung von Gesamtselen (0, IV, VI) erfordert eine Vorbehandlung mit Perchlor- bzw. Salpetersäure und Wasserstoffperoxid. Die Nachweisgrenze des Verfahrens beträgt 0,003 g Se. In den untersuchten Proben war das Gesamtselen (0,003–0,022 g/ml) nur als Se(IV) vorhanden.

     

Separation and determination of selenium in water samples by the combination of APDC coprecipitation: X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

A sensitive and non chromatographic analytical procedure for the separation of inorganic selenium species in natural water has been performed. A combination of APDC coprecipitation and determination by an absolute thin layer Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry method was used. The influence of various analytical parameters such as element concentration, oxidation states and pH on the recoveries of Se (IV) was examined. The presence of organic matter and bicarbonate anions, typical components in Cuban groundwater samples, was also tested. Negligible matrix effects were observed. At pH 4 a 100% recovery was found for Se (IV). The coprecipitation recovery of the oxidized selenium species (Se (VI)) was null for the selected concentration range (5–100 μg L⁻¹). When the Se (VI) was reduced by heating the solution with 4 mol L⁻¹ HCl, quantitative recovery was also obtained. The determination of total selenium was conducted by the application of the oxidation–reduction process and the analytical procedure for Se (IV). Se (VI) content was calculated as the difference between total selenium and Se (IV). The detection limit was 0.13 μg L⁻¹. The relative standard deviation was lower than 3.5% for 5 μg L⁻¹ of Se (IV). The trueness of the method was verified by using standardized hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry technique. The results obtained using the EDXRF technique were in good agreement with the ones determined by HG-AAS. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Se (IV) in surface water and groundwater samples.     

On-line copper and iron removal and selenium(VI) pre-reduction for the determination of total selenium by flow-injection hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Selenium was determined in samples with high copper and iron contents by hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HG-ICP-OES) after flow-injection (FI) on-line copper and iron removal and selenium(VI) reduction. A Dowex 1X-8 anion-exchange microcolumn was used for the separation of selenium from copper and iron as their chloro-complexes. Se(VI) was then reduced on-line by heating a PTFE coiled reactor (150 cm long, 0.7 mm i.d.) in a 100°C water bath. After reduction of Se(VI), a 900-μl sample was injected into the carrier stream containing hydrochloric acid and sodium tetrahydroborate to generate the hydride. A limit of detection of 0.4 μg l⁻¹ (RSD 2.3% for 20 μg l⁻¹ selenium) was obtained. The application of the method to Geochemical Standard Reference Samples and copper metal reference materials (MBH) demonstrated that results were in good statistical accordance with certified values.     

Determination of selenium in freshwaters by cathodic stripping voltammetry after UV irradiation

An analytical method was developed for the determination of total dissolved selenium in fresh waters, using linear sweep cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) in combination with UV photolytic digestion. Both the CSV method, based on the electrodeposition and stripping of Cu(2)Se, and the UV irradiation procedure were investigated in detail. In the presence of dissolved organic substances, as in freshwaters, Se(VI) is reduced to Se(IV) by UV irradiation in 0.1M hydrochloric acid. Glucose can be used as the carbon source in samples low in natural dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The photolytic yields of Se(IV) were about 90% in both cases. Five freshwater samples were analysed for total selenium by CSV after UV photolysis, and by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) after oxidative digestion followed by reduction with hydrochloric acid. The results agreed well and the concentrations were in the range 70-190 ng/l., well above the detection limit of the CSV method at 2 ng/l.     

Catalytic polarographic determination of total selenium in tea leaves

The catalytic polarographic determination of selenium(IV) by use of the SeSO(2-)(3) -KIO(3) system is sensitive, accurate, rapid and requires only small quantities of sample. The detection limit for selenium(IV) is 0.04 ng/ml in the final solution. The working range of the calibration is 0.04-2.5 ng/ml. Se(VI) present can be reduced with hot hydrochloric acid to Se(IV), allowing determination of the total selenium.     

Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of selenium and vanadium

A sensitive kinetic spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of Se(IV) over the range of 45 to 4000 ng in 10 mL of solution. The method is based on the catalytic effect of Se(IV) on the reduction reaction of bromate by hydrazinium dichloride, with subsequent reaction of Ponceau S with products of the above reaction (chlorine and bromine), causing color changing of Ponceau S. Method development includes optimization of time interval for measurement of slope, pH, reagents concentration, and temperature. The optimized conditions yielded a theoretical detection limit of 33 ng/¶10 mL of solution of Se(IV). The interfering effects were studied and removed. The method was applied to the determination of selenium in spiked water, Kjeldahl tablet, selenium tablet, and shampoo. Vanadium(V) has an inhibition effect on the catalyzed reaction of bromate and hydrazine by selenium. Using this effect, V(V) can be determined in the range of 70 to 2500 ng in 10 mL of solution. The optimization procedure includes pH and selenium concentration. An extraction method was used for interference removal. The method was applied to the determination of vanadium in petroleum.     

Distribution and speciation of selenium in Lecythis ollaria plant

Selenium has been determined in different parts of the Lecythis ollaria (LO) plant (Venezuela) and the determination of its speciation has been achieved in fruit seeds. The study has been performed using different analytical techniques including inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (DPCSV), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Different parts of the plant (leaves, bark, capsules and seeds) were examined as well as the soil where LO was growing. Among different considered parts, seeds show the highest content in selenium (5 g kg⁻¹) which is dependent on the maturation extent of the fruit. In seeds, about half of the total selenium content is soluble in water while the remaining is involved in protein structure. In the aqueous fraction, the prevailing form of selenium appears to be seleno-cystathionine with much lower amounts of Se(VI) and Se(IV).     

Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of selenium based on the catalytic reduction of maxilon blue-SG by sulfide

A simple and sensitive catalytic spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of selenium. The method is based on the catalytic effect of selenium in form Se(IV) on the reduction of Maxilon Blue-SG by sodium sulfide. Indicator reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbance change at λ_max=654 nm and constant temperature (30.0±0.1 °C) by fixed time method. Selenium could quantitatively be determined in the range 0.004-0.200 μg ml⁻¹ Se(IV) with a detection limit of 0.205 ng ml⁻¹ Se(IV). All of the variables that affected the reaction rate were investigated and established optimum conditions to give maximum sensitivity. The R.S.D.s of the method (N=12) for the Se(IV) concentrations of 0.004, 0.016, 0.040 and 0.160 μg ml⁻¹ are between 2.27 and 0.32%, respectively, and depended on Se(IV) concentration. The interference effect of various anion and cations on the Se(IV) determination was also fully studied. The selectivity of catalytic reaction was greatly improved with the use of the strong cation exchange resin. The developed kinetic-catalytic reaction was applied to the determination of selenium in real samples as Antioxidant-S, Selsun (which is a healthcare product for the treatment of dandruff) and analytical grade sodium metabisulfite, and in spring water samples without any pre-concentration. The acceptable recoveries were obtained by the method for appropriate standard Se(IV) additions. The method is simple, practical and suitable for using in small laboratories owing to its precision, sensitivity and relative selectivity.