Speciation of As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA in contaminated soil extracts by HPLC-ICP/MS

A method to separate and quantify two inorganic arsenic species As(III) and As(V) and two organic arsenic species, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), by HPLC-ICP/MS has been developed. The separation of arsenic species was achieved on the anionic exchange column IonPac^®AS11 (Dionex) with NaOH as mobile phase. The technique was successfully applied to analyze extracts of two contaminated soils, sampled at a former tannery site (soil 1) and a former paint production site (soil 2). The soils were extracted at pH values similar to the natural environment. Extractions were performed at different pH values with 0.3 M ammonium oxalate (pH = 3), milli-Q water (pH = 5.8), 0.3 M sodium carbonate (pH = 8) and 0.3 M sodium bicarbonate (pH = 11). No organically bound arsenic was found in the extracts. As(V) was the major component. Only up to 0.04% of the total arsenic contained in soil 1 were mobilized. The highest amount of extracted arsenic was found at the highest pH. In the milli-Q water extract of soil 1 As(III) and As(V) were found. High amounts of As(V) were found in the extracts of soil 2. Up to 20% of the total arsenic bound to soil 2 constituents were released. The results show that the mobilization of arsenic depended on the pH value of the extraction solution and the kind of extracted soil. Dramatic consequences have to be expected for pH changes in the environment especially in cases where soils contain high amounts of mobile arsenic.     

Determination of As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA in drinking water by solid phase extraction and neutron activation

A combination of solid phase extraction, coprecipitation, and neutron activation techniques has been used to develop a speciation analysis method based on green chemistry for the major arsenic species in drinking water. Arsenate as As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) are separated and preconcentrated by strongly anion and cation exchange columns in tandem while As(III) remains in the effluent. These species are then selectively eluted and As(III) coprecipitated with bismuth sulphide. This simple method has been applied to the analysis of water reference materials with good results. The detection limits are 0.9, 1.7, 1.6, 3.8 and 16 ng mL⁻¹ for As(III), As(V), MMA, DMA and total arsenic, respectively, using a neutron flux of 2.5 × 10¹¹ cm⁻² s⁻¹ at the Dalhousie University SLOWPOKE-2 reactor (DUSR) facility and anti-coincidence gamma-ray spectrometry.     

Stability study of As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA by anion exchange chromatography and HG-AFS in wastewater samples

The stability of arsenic species (arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonate [MMA], dimethylarsinate [DMA] and arsenite [As(III)]) in two types of urban wastewater samples (raw and treated) was evaluated. Water samples containing a mixture of the different arsenic species were stored in the absence of light at three different temperatures: +4 degrees C, +20 degrees C and +40 degrees C. At regular time intervals, arsenic species were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-hydride generation (HG)-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The experimental conditions for the separation of arsenic species by HPLC and their determination by AFS were directly optimised from wastewater samples. As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA were separated on an anion exchange column using phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) as the mobile phase. Under these conditions the four arsenic species were separated in less than 10 min. The detection limits were 0.6, 0.9, 0.9 and 1.8 micro g L(-1) for As(III), DMA, MMA and As(V), respectively. As(V), MMA and DMA were found stable in the two types of urban wastewater samples over the 4-month period at the three different temperatures tested, while the concentration of As(III) in raw wastewater sample decreased after 2 weeks of storage. A greater stability of As(III) was found in the treated urban wastewater sample. As(III) remained unaltered in this matrix at pH 7.27 over the period studied, while at lower pH (1.6) losses of As(III) were detected after 1 month of storage. The results show that the decrease in As(III) concentration with time was accompanied by an increase in As(V) concentration.     

Simultaneous determination of inorganic As(III), As(V), Sb(III), Sb(V), and Se(IV) species in natural waters by APDC/MIBK-NAA

A solvent extraction preconcentration as well as separation method involving ammonium pyrrolinedithiocarbamate (APDC) and 4-methyl-2-pentanone (MIBK) in conjunction with neutron activation analysis (NAA) was developed for the simultaneous measurement of low levels of inorganic arsenic, antimony and selenium species in natural waters. Several critical factors affecting the APDC/MIBK-NAA method were studied in detail including the selection of chelating agent, solvent, aqueous pH for the extraction of six species as well as a few organoarsenic species as representatives for organic species, the stability of the complexes in organic phase, phase volume ratios for extraction and back-extraction steps, and the reduction of the species from higher to lower oxidation state. The detection limits for arsenic, antimony and selenium were found to be as low as 0.026, 0.010 and 0.12 μg L^?1, respectively. Trace amounts of As(III), As(V), Sb(III), Sb(V), and Se(IV) in different types of natural water sample and two water certified reference materials were measured using the APDC/MIBK-NAA method.     

N/P-ethoxyphenyl/dithiocarbamato complexes of Au(III), As(III), Fe(III), Co(III) and Mo(V)

The complexes of Au(III), As(III), Fe(III), Co (III) and Mo(V) with N(p-ethoxyphenyl)-dithiocarbamate have been synthesized and characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, infrared and electronic spectra, molecular weight determinations and magnetic moment data. The thermal behaviours of these complexes have been studied with the aid of TG and DTA techniques.     

Arsenic Speciation in As(III)- and As(V)-Treated Soil Using XANES Spectroscopy

Arsenic (As) is a toxic trace element that occurs naturally in groundwater and soils. Understanding the reactions of arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) with soil and mineral surfaces is critical for predicting the fate and transport of As in the environment and developing better ways to remediate As-contaminated areas. This investigation uses X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) to evaluate the solid phase oxidation state and mineral surface binding sites in three agricultural soil samples from California, USA by fitting linear combinations of XANES spectra derived from several synthetic and well characterized As(III)- and As(V)-treated model compounds (Fe and Al metal hydroxides and aluminosilicate illite clay mineral). The results suggest that As(III) is either partially or completely oxidized to As(V) when reacted with soil in an aqueous, batch reaction. The As(III)-treated Aiken soil was composed of 60% As(III) attached to surfaces similar to lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH)) and 40% As(V) attached to aluminosilicate (illite). The Fallbrook soil completely oxidized As(III) and the product was As(V) adsorbed on Al hydroxide (gibbsite, γ-Al(OH)₃) (62%), illite (16%), and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) (22%). The reaction of As(III) with Wyo soil resulted in 42% As(III) adsorbed on surface similar to goethite and 58% As(V) adsorbed on lepidocrocite. Arsenic(V) adsorption on soil resulted in stable As(V) surface complexes that were well described by XANES spectra from As(V) adsorption complexes on gibbsite, illite, and lepidocrocite.     

Characterization of As (V), As (III) by selective reduction/adsorption on palladium nanoparticles in environmental water samples

Hydrazine (HZ) and sodium borohydride (BH) are commonly used reagents for the production of palladium nanoparticles (PdNP) in aqueous solution and also for the reduction of arsenic from higher oxidation state to lower oxidation state. A methodology based on the quantitative adsorption of reduced arsenic species on PdNP generated in situ by BH and HZ is described to characterize As (V) and As (III) in environmental water samples. It was observed that PdNP obtained by BH gave quantitative recovery of As (V) and (III) and the PdNP obtained by HZ could account for As (III). The reduced palladium particles are collected and dissolved in minimum amount of nitric acid. The quantification of arsenic was carried out using GFAAS. Optimization of the experimental conditions and instrumental parameters were investigated in detail. The proposed procedure was validated by applying it for the determination of the content of total As in Certified Reference Material BND 301-02 (NPL, India). The detection limit of arsenic in environmental water samples was 0.029 μg L⁻¹ with an enrichment factor of 50. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for 10 replicate measurements of 5 μg mL⁻¹ was 4.2%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of sub ppm to ppm levels of arsenic (V), (III) in environmental water samples.     

Speciation of antimony(III) and antimony(V) in cell extracts by anion chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the separation and quantification of Sb(III) and Sb(V) using anion chromatography with ICP-MS is presented. The optimum conditions for the separation of the antimony species were established with 15 mmol/L nitric acid at pH 6 as eluent system on a PRP-X100 column. The retention times for antimony(V) and antimony(III) were 85 s and 300 s with detection limits of 0.06 microg/L and 0.29 microg/L, respectively. The proposed method was applied to cell extracts of Leishmania donovani, which were incubated with antimony(III) and antimony(V). Some metabolism seemed to occur within the cells.     

Speciation of antimony(III) and antimony(V) in cell extracts by anion chromatography/ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the separation and quantification of Sb(III) and Sb(V) using anion chromatography with ICP-MS is presented. The optimum conditions for the separation of the antimony species were established with 15 mmol/L nitric acid at pH 6 as eluent system on a PRP-X100 column. The retention times for antimony(V) and antimony(III) were 85 s and 300 s with detection limits of 0.06 μg/L and 0.29 μg/L, respectively. The proposed method was applied to cell extracts of Leishmania donovani, which were incubated with antimony(III) and antimony(V). Some metabolism seemed to occur within the cells.     

Profile distribution of As(III) and As(V) species in soil and groundwater in Bozanta area

The profile distribution of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) species in soil and groundwater was investigated in the samples collected in 2005 from a hand-drilled well, in the Bozanta area, Baia Mare region, Romania. The total content of arsenic in the soil was in the range of 525–672 mg kg⁻¹ exceeding 21–27 times the action trigger level for sensitive soil. 0.9–11.3 % of the total content was soluble in water, 83.0–92.6 % in 10 mol dm⁻³ HCl and 2.6–13.3 % was the residual fraction. Arsenic(V) was the dominant arsenic species in the soil in the range of 405–580 mg kg⁻¹. The distribution and mobility of arsenic species was governed by soil pH and contents of Al, Fe, and Mn. The mobility of arsenic(V) decreased with depth, while that of arsenic(III) was high at the surface and in the proximity of groundwater. The total concentration of arsenic in groundwater was (43.40 ± 1.70) μg dm⁻³, which exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 μg dm⁻³. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定环境水样中的砷（Ⅲ）、砷（V）

用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定环境水样中的砷(Ⅲ)和砷(V)，在0～100μg／L范围内砷的浓度与荧光强度呈线性关系，相关系数r=0．9999。测定结果的相对标准偏差为0．7％，检出限为0．08μg／L。与二乙氨基二硫代甲酸银光度法进行比对，经F检验和t检验，两种方法无显著性差异。     

Modeling Speciation and Solubility in Aqueous Systems Containing U(IV,VI), Np(IV,V, VI), Pu(III,IV, V,VI), Am(III), and Cm(III)

A comprehensive thermodynamic model, referred to as the Mixed-Solvent Electrolyte model, has been applied to calculate phase equilibria and chemical speciation in selected aqueous actinide systems. The solution chemistry of U(IV, VI), Np(IV, V, VI), Pu(III, IV, V, VI), Am(III), and Cm(III) has been analyzed to develop the parameters of the model. These parameters include the standard-state thermochemical properties of aqueous and solid actinide species as well as the ion interaction parameters that reflect the solution’s nonideality. The model reproduces the solubility behavior and accurately predicts the formation of competing solid phases as a function of pH (from 0 to 14 and higher), temperature (up to 573 K), partial pressure of CO₂ (up to \( p_{{{\text{CO}}_{2} }} \)  = 1 bar), and concentrations of acids (to 127 mol·kg^?1), bases (to 18 mol·kg^?1), carbonates (to 6 mol·kg^?1) and other ionic components (i.e., Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, OH^?, Cl^?, \( {\text{ClO}}_{4}^{ - } \), and \( {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } \)). Redox effects on solubility and speciation have been incorporated into the model, as exemplified by the reductive and oxidative dissolution of Np(VI) and Pu(IV) solids, respectively. Thus, the model can be used to elucidate the phase and chemical equilibria for radionuclides in natural aquatic systems or in nuclear waste repository environments as a function of environmental conditions. Additionally, the model has been applied to systems relevant to nuclear fuel processing, in which nitric acid and nitrate salts of plutonium and uranium are present at high concentrations. The model reproduces speciation and solubility in the U(VI) + HNO₃ + H₂O and Pu(IV, VI) + HNO₃ + H₂O systems up to very high nitric acid concentrations (\( x_{{{\text{HNO}}_{3} }} \approx 0.70 \)). Furthermore, the similarities and differences in the solubility behavior of the actinides have been analyzed in terms of aqueous speciation.     

Speciation of arsenic in a contaminated soil by solvent extraction

Soil collected from a disused cattle dip in northern New South Wales was studied with the aim of developing an inexpensive, yet effective method for quantitative determination of arsenic(III), arsenic(V) and total organic arsenic in a contaminated soil. Hydrochloric acid extractions were used as a method for removal of the arsenic from the soil in a form suitable for speciation. It was found that the extraction efficiency varied with the ratio of soil to acid, and the concentration of the acid. Arsenic(III), as arsenic trichloride, was selectively extracted into chloroform from a solution highly concentrated in hydrochloric acid. This was followed by back-extraction of the arsenic into water. Total inorganic arsenic was determined in a similar manner after the reduction of arsenic(V) to the trivalent state with potassium iodide. Arsenic(V) was determined by the difference between the results for arsenic(III) and total inorganic arsenic. All analyses for the various arsenic species were performed by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectroscopy; concentrations of total arsenic in the soil were confirmed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. It was found that all the arsenic in the soil was present as inorganic arsenic in the pentavalent state. This reflects the ability of arsenic to interchange between species, since the original species in cattle dipping solution is arsenic(III).     

土壤中毒性元素As的形态分析及其测定

运用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法(HG-AFS)测定土壤中的As(Ⅲ)、 As(Ⅴ)的浸提、萃取分离条件, 以及HG-AFS测定As(Ⅲ)、 As(Ⅴ)的最佳条件. 该方法的线性范围为: 1.0～100 μg/L, 相对标准偏差为: As(Ⅲ): 3.2%～9.5%、 As(Ⅴ): 4.3%～5.2%;回收率为: As(Ⅲ): 104%、 As(Ⅴ): 92%.     

Determination of As(III) and As(V) ions by chemiluminescence method

A new chemiluminescence (CL) method for the selective determination of As(III) and As(V) ions in aqueous solution has been studied using a FIA system. The method is based on the increased CL intensity with the addition of As(V) ion into a solution of lucigenin and hydrogen peroxide. The addition of As(III) ion into the solution did not change the CL intensity. Total concentration of As ions was determined after pre-oxidation of As(III) to As(V) with hydrogen peroxide in basic solution. The As(III) content was estimated by subtracting the content of As(V) ion from total As concentration. The effects of concentrations of KOH and H₂O₂, and flow rates of reagents on CL intensity have been investigated. The calibration curve for As(V) ion was linear over the range from 1.0×10^-2 to 10 μg/g, the coefficient of correlation was 0.997 and the detection limit was 5.0×10^-3 μg/g under the optimal experimental conditions.     

Zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres as a sorbent for solid phase extraction of trace levels of V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) prior to their determination by ICP-MS

This paper describes the preparation of zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres (ZPMs) and their application to simultaneous enrichment of V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) from environmental water samples. The ZPMs were prepared by emulsion copolymerization of ethyl methacrylate, 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate followed by modification with 1,3-propanesultone. The components were analyzed by elemental analyses as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The ZPMs were packed into a mini-column for on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) of the above metal ions. Following extraction with 40 mM NH₄NO₃ and 0.5 M HNO₃ solution, the ions were quantified by ICP-MS. Under the optimized conditions, the enrichment factors (from a 40 mL sample) are up to 60 for the ions V(V), As(III), Sb(III) and Hg(II), and 55 for Cr(III) and Sn(IV). The detection limits are 1.2, 3.4, 1.0, 3.7, 2.1 and 1.6 ng L^?1 for V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II), respectively, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) are below 5.2%. The feasibility and accuracy of the method were validated by successfully analyzing six certified reference materials as well as lake, well and river waters.

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Graphical abstract Zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres (ZPMs) were prepared and packed into a mini-column for on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) via pump 1. Then V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) ions in environmental waters were eluted and submitted to ICP-MS via pump 2.

     

Removal of aqueous As(III) and As(V) by hydrous titanium dioxide

Dissolved arsenic in drinking water is a global concern as it causes serious health problems. The purpose of this research was to study the applicability of an industrial intermediate product, a mixture of titanium hydroxide and titanium dioxide for removing aqueous arsenic. The material is common, inexpensive, and non-toxic, making it an attractive choice for drinking water purification. The kinetics and equilibrium of removing both primary inorganic arsenic forms, As(III) and As(V), were studied by separate batch experiments. The tested material functioned well in removing both of these arsenic forms. The apparent values for Langmuir monolayer sorption capacities were 31.8 mg/g for As(III) and 33.4 mg/g for As(V) at pH 4. The studied TiO(2) performed the best in acidic conditions, but also reasonably well in other pH conditions.     

Removal of As(III) and As(V) by natural and synthetic metal oxides

The removal properties of As(III) and As(V) by the several metal oxides having different mineral type and content of metals were investigated in batch and column reactors. The used metal oxides were Fe-oxide loaded sand (ILS), Mn-oxide loaded sand (MLS), activated alumina (AA), sericite (SC) and iron sand (IS). From the pH-edge adsorption experiments with AA and ILS, maximum As(III) adsorption was observed around neutral pH while As(V) adsorption was followed an anionic-type behavior. Among five metal oxides, AA showed the greatest removal capacity for both As(III) and As(V) through adsoption process but it has little oxidation capacity for As(III). Eventhough IS had much greater content of Fe-oxides than ILS, it showed a relatively lower removal capacity for both As(III) and As(V). This result suggests that adsorption of arsenic onto metal oxides is controlled by not only the contents of Fe-oxides but also mineral type of Fe-oxides. Column tests were performed at different combinations of metal oxides in a column reactor to find the best column system, which effectively treat both As(III) and As(V) at the same time. Among several combinations, the column reactors packed with MLS-AA and MLS-ILS showed a near complete oxidation of As(III) by MLS for a long time and the greatest adsorption of total arsenic compared to the column reactor packed with MLS-IS.