INVESTIGATION OF ARSINE-GENERATING REACTIONS USING DEUTERIUM-LABELED REAGENTS AND MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Mass spectrometry was used to detect transfer of deuterium from labele d reagents to arsines following hydride-generation reactions. The arsi ne gases liberated from the reactions of arsenite, arsenate, methylars onic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid with HCl and NaBD4 in H2O, or with DCl and NaBH4 in D2O, were examined. Differences in the mode of deute rium incorporation for the various arsines were detected. These result s may help explain some of the observed variations in arsine-generatio n efficiency for various arsenic compounds present in environmental an d biological samples. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.