DETERMINATION OF ARSENIC IN AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER BY INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY

An optimized sample digestion procedure was developed for determining As in airborne particulate matter by ICP-MS and applied to real sample analysis. A two-step high-pressure bomb digestion procedure, entailin g the digestion of airborne particulates with HNO3-HClO4 and then dige stion with HClO3-HF after the removal of the intact filter membrane, a ppears to be the most effective pre-treatment procedure for determinin g As by ICP-MS. The direct determination of As in airborne particulate matter by laser ablation ICP-MS was also investigated, Standard filte rs prepared in the laboratory and real samples were both analyzed, and the results agreed with the certified concentrations and data obtaine d from the conventional acid digestion-ICP-MS method, Finally, the cap abilities of various analytical techniques applied to real sample anal ysis were compared.