DETERMINATION OF ARSENIC, ANTIMONY AND SELENIUM AFTER PRECONCENTRATION ONTO THE RETICULATED VITREOUS CARBON WITH MIP-AES DETECTION

A method is described for the determination of As, Sb and Se by hydrid e generation with hot trapping on reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) fo llowed by the electrothermal vaporization of the analytes and their de tection with microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MI P-AES). A comparison between the results of conventional graphite tube s and those filled with RVC shows, that the use of the latter results in enhanced power of detection to the value comparable with those obta ined by the direct injection of the same amount of the analyte into th e graphite tube. A surfatron is used for sustain an argon MIP. Absolut e detection limits (3 sigma) of 0.09 ng, 0.10 ng and 0.13 mu g were ob tained for As, Sb and Se respectively. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by the determination of As and Se in SRM 1643c water standar d reference material.