ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR ANTIMONY SPECIATION IN WATERS AT TRACE AND ULTRATRACE LEVELS - A REVIEW

This review summarizes and discusses the analytical methods and techni ques most frequently described in the literature for the determination of antimony species in waters (and possibly in other matrices) at ult ratrace levels. The analytical methods for the separation and/or selec tive determination of Sb species fall into four main categories: 1. Ch emical methods, which include such extraction techniques as: liquid-li quid and liquid-solid extraction, selective hydride generation and cop recipitation methods. 2. Chromatographic methods, which also includes a discussion of hyphenated techniques with different detectors. 3. Ele ctrochemical methods based on the use of electrochemical detectors. 4. Kinetic methods The state-of-the-art of the main applications in wate rs and environmental samples and future trends are also reviewed.