Arsenic speciation in some environmental samples: a comparative study of HG-GC-QFAAS and HPLC-ICP-MS methods

Some water and soil extracts polluted with arsenic, and a sewage sludge cer tified for total arsenic have been analysed by high-performance liquid chro matography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) and h ydride generation-gas chromatography-quartz furnace atomic absorption spect rometry (HG-GC-QFAAS techniques.) Detection limits in the range of 200-400 and 2-10 ng l(-1) respectively allowed the determination of inorganic [As(I II), As(V)] and methylated (DMA, MMA, TMAO) arsenic species present in thes e samples. Results obtained by both methods are well correlated overall, wh atever the arsenic chemical form and concentration range (8-10 000 mu g l(- 1)). Comparison of these results enabled us to point out features and disad vantages of each analytical method and to reach a conclusion that they are suitable for arsenic speciation in these environmental matrices, Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.