Industries using arsenic and arsenic compounds

This paper reviews industries using arsenic and arsenic compounds such as wood preservatives and agricultural chemicals, the use of arsenic trioxide in glass manufacture, and the applications of metallic arsenic in non-ferrous alloys and of high-purity arsenic in the electronics industry.     

Distribution of inorganic arsenic and methylated arsenic in marine organisms

Inorganic arsenic and methylated arsenic compounds in 60 specimens of marine organisms were investigated by hydride generation derivatization and cold-trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC MS). Chloroform–methanol extracts from seaweeds, shellfish, fish, crustaceans and other marine organisms were separated into water-soluble and lipid-soluble fractions. The arsenic compounds in each fraction were identified and analysed as arsine, methylarsine, dimethylarsine and trimethylarsine. Trimethylarsenic compounds were distributed mainly in the water-soluble fraction of muscle of carnivorous gastropods, crustaceans and fish. The amounts of dimethylated arsenic compounds were found to be larger than that of trimethylated arsenic in the lipid-soluble fraction of fish viscera. Dimethylated arsenic compounds were distributed in the water-soluble fraction of Phaeophyceae.     

Determination of arsenic and arsenic compounds in natural gas samples

Organic arsenic compounds (trialkylarsines) present in natural gas were extracted by 10 cm³ of concentrated nitric acid from 1 dm³ of gas kept at ambient pressure and temperature. The flask containing the gas and the acid was shaken for 1 h on a platform shaker set at the highest speed. The resulting solution was mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid and heated to convert all arsenic compounds to arsenate. Total arsenic was determined in the mineralized solutions by hydride generation. The arsenic concentrations in natural gas samples from a number of wells in several gas fields were in the range 0.01–63 μ As dm^?3. Replicate determinations of arsenic in a gas sample with an arsenic concentration of 5.9 μ dm^?3 had a relative standard deviation of 1.7%. Because of the high blank values, the lowest arsenic concentration that could be reliably determined was 5 ng As dm^?3 gas. Analysis of nonmineralized extracts by hydride generation identified trimethylarsine as the major arsenic compound in natural gas. Low-temperature gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed more directly than the hydride generation technique, that trimethylarsine accounts for 55–80% of the total arsenic in several gas samples. Dimethylethylarsine, methyldiethylarsine, and triethylarsine were also identified, in concentrations decreasing with increasing molecular mass of the arsines.     

Determination of urinary arsenic and impact of dietary arsenic intake

An analytical method based on microwave decomposition and flow injection analysis (FIA) coupled to hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) is described. This is used to differentiate arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) from organoarsenic compounds usually present in seafood. Without microwave digestion, direct analysis of urine by HGAAS gives the total concentration of As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA because organoarsenic compounds such as arsenobetaine, usually found in most seafood, are not reducible upon treatment with borohydride and therefore cannot be determined by using the hydride generation technique. The microwave oven digestion procedure with potassium persulfate and sodium hydroxide as decomposition reagents completely decomposes all arsenicals to arsenate and this can be measured by HGASS. Microwave decomposition parameters were studied to achieve efficient decomposition and quantitative recovery of arsenobetaine spiked into urine samples. The method is applied to the determination of urinary arsenic and is useful for the assessment of occupational exposure to arsenic without intereference from excess organoarsenicals due to the consumption of seafood. Analysis of urine samples collected from an individual who ingested some seafood revealed that organoarsenicals were rapidly excreted in urine. After the ingestion of a 500-g crab, a 10-fold increase of total urinary arsenic was observed, due to the excretion of organoarsenicals. The maximum arsenic concentration was found in the urine samples collected approximately between 4 to 17 hr after eating seafood. However, the ingestion of organoarsenic-containing seafoods such as crab, shrimp and salmon showed no effect on the urinary excretion of inorganic arsenic, MMA and DMA.     

Controlling the oxidation state of arsenic in cyclic arsenic cations

Reduction of AsCl3 with SnCl2, followed by treatment of the "AsCl" with a 1,4-diimine results in electron transfer and formation of an arsenic(III) salt, while treatment of this arsenic(I) reagent or AsI3 with an alpha,alpha'-diiminopyridine ligand forms an arsenic(I) salt.     

Polarography of arsenic

The polarographic behaviour of arsenic in various media is reviewed with particular emphasis on the mechanisms of the electrode reactions and on the use of polarographic methods for the determination of the element.     

Electrochemical methods for the determination of total arsenic and arsenic compounds

The determination of total arsenic and of arsenic compounds in biological and inorganic samples is a task frequently encountered by analysts. Several elecrochemical methods have been developed for the determination of total arsenic (generally after mineralization of the sample), arsenite, arsenate, methylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid. The electrochemical behavior of several other organic arsenic compounds was also studied. This paper reviews these electrochemical methods, their application to environmental samples, and the problems encountered in the electrochemical determination of arsenic and arsenic compounds.     

Polarographic determination of copper, arsenic and arsenic in copper arsenite

A method is proposed in which Cu^II, As^III and As^v can be determined in copper arsenite without prior separation. It is based on the fact that Cu^II and As^III yield prominent, distinguishable, widely-separated cathodic polarographic waves in a 0.1M LiCl-0.01M EDTA—0.001M LiOH solution using a dropping mercury electrode, whereas As^v does not give a wave in this medium. The As^v is determined by difference after reduction with sulphurous acid.     

Fluoride-fluorosulfates of arsenic (V) and arsenic (III)

The synthesis of AsF₃(SO₃F)₂ by the reaction AsF₃ + S₂O₆F₂→AsF₃(SO₃F)₂ is described. Various alternate routes leading to similar arsenic (V) fluoride-fluorosulfates are discussed. All materials are clear, viscous, strongly associated liquids of the general formula AsF_n(SO₃F)_5?n, with n ranging from about 2 to 4. The presence of fluorosulfate bridges is ascertained by IR and Raman spectra.The spectroscopic investigation is also extended to arsenic (III) fluoride- fluorosulfates.     

Extraction and speciation of arsenic in plants grown on arsenic contaminated soils

A sequential arsenic extraction method was developed that yielded extraction efficiencies (EE) that were approximately double those using current methods for terrestrial plants. The method was applied to plants from two arsenic contaminated sites and showed potential for risk assessment studies. In the method, plants were extracted first by 1:1 water-methanol followed by 0.1 M hydrochloric (HCl) acid. Total arsenic in plant and soil samples collected from contaminated sites was mineralized by acid digestion and detected by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Arsenic speciation was done by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with HG-AAS (HPLC-HGAAS) and by HPLC coupled with ICP-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Spike recovery experiments with arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) showed stability of the species in the extraction processes. Speciation analysis by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) demonstrated that no transformation of As(III) and As(V) occurred due to sample handling. Dilute HCl was efficient in extracting arsenic from plants; however, extraction and determination of organic species were difficult in this medium. Sequential extraction with 1:1 water-methanol followed by 0.1 M-HCl was most useful in extracting and speciating both organic and inorganic arsenic from plants. Trace amounts of MA and DMA in plants could be detected by HPLC-HGAAS aided by the process of separation and preconcentration of the sequential extraction method. Both organic and inorganic arsenic compounds could be detected simultaneously in synthetic gastric fluid extracts (GFE) but EEs by this method were lower than those of the sequential method. The developed sequential method was shown to be reliable and applicable to various terrestrial plants for arsenic extraction and speciation.     

Amplification-spectrophotometric determination of arsenic

Arsenic in submicroamounts is determined by use of the iron(II) ferrozine complex and measurement of the absorbance of the complex at 562 nm. The arsenic in the sample is converted into 12-arsenomolybdic acid and extracted into a mixture of butyl acetate and ethanol. The extracted complex is decomposed with sodium hydroxide and the Mo(VI) liberated is reduced to Mo(III) with a Jones reductor, then oxidized back to Mo(VI) with Fe(III). The resulting Fe(II) is complexed with ferrozine, and the absorbance measured. The high sensitivity of the method is due to the chemical amplification (factor of 36) that is involved in the procedure. The apparent molar absorptivity for this method is 9.44×10⁵ 1· mole^–1·cm^–1, compared to the theoretical value of 10.04×10⁵. The overall efficiency of the conversion is 94%.     

Industrial exposure to arsenic

The normal levels of arsenic in human tissue are reported together with the arsenic concentrations found in the investigation of a large number of industrial exposure incidents. These results are useful for establishing that industrial exposure has taken place and for confirming arsenic poisoning but they cannot be used realistically to predict that any person or group will suffer a visible deterioration in health because no correlation between arsenic contamination and symptoms can be made. Industrial workers who are affected by arsenic exposure are often no more exposed than their co-workers.     

Tests for elemental sulphur and arsenic based on the formation of arsenic sulphides

Summary Tests for elemental sulphur and arsenic have been based on the formation of arsenic sulphides, dissolution in ammonia and reaction with lead solution. A further test for arsenic employs the reaction with thiosulphate. Antimony, tin and selenium do not interfere. The limit of identification is 5 g for sulphur and 3 g for arsenic.

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Zusammenfassung Es werden Nachweise für elementaren Schwefel und elementares Arsen beschrieben. Sie beruhen auf der Bildung von Arsensulfiden aus den Elementen und Reaktion mit Bleilösung nach Auflösung in Ammoniak; für Arsen wird au\erdem die Reaktion mit Thiosulfat benutzt. Antimon, Zinn und Selen stören nicht. Die Nachweisgrenze beträgt für Schwefel 5 g und für Arsen 3 g.

     

Simple and sensitive determination of arsenic by volatile arsenic trichloride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and interference-free method was proposed for the determination of arsenic, based on the generation of volatile arsenic trichloride coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Thiourea, together with l-ascorbic acid, was used to reduce As(V) to As(III), and the chloride generation was based on the reaction between As(III) and hydrochloric acid. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the present procedure allows for the quantification of arsenic in the concentration range of 0.01–4.0 mg L⁻¹, with a limit of detection (3σ) of 6.0 μg L⁻¹. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) is 4.0% for 0.1 mg L⁻¹ arsenic (n = 7). Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of arsenic in several certified reference samples (stainless steel, alloy steel, copper alloy and water sample) and real samples (brass material and spiked cobalt material), with analytical results well-agreed with those by ICP-MS.     

Electrochemical lithium quasi-intercalation with arsenic

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - To investigate the electrochemical reaction mechanism of As, which shows poor electrochemical reversibility with Li, an As/C nanocomposite was prepared...     

Indirect polarographic determination of arsenic

A method for determination of arsenic(V) in the range between 1 x 10(-7) and 1.2 x 10(-6)M has been developed. These levels are reached by means of the multiplication factor yielded by use of 12-molybdoarsenic acid and the great sensitivity of polarographic determination of the Mo(VI) in the heteropoly acid. The procedure has been successfully applied to determination of arsenic in copper alloys, after selective extraction of phosphorus.     

Thermodynamic functions of arsenic selenides

The solid-phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of an As–Se system are studied using the electromotive force (EMF). The existence of compounds As₂Se₃, AsSe, and As₄Se₃ in a system with near constant composition is confirmed. The relative partial molar functions, standard Gibbs free energies, enthalpies of formation, and standard entropies of As in the alloys are calculated using EMF measurements.