Detection of volatile arsenic chloride species during hydride generation: a new prospectus

Volatile inorganic- and organo-arsenic chloride species were detected follo wing hydride generation. Arsenic trichloride can be formed and sampled from the headspace of arsenate or arsenite solutions following simple acidifica tion to 2-8 M HCl. Mono- and dimethylarsenic chloride species are formed du ring conventional hydride generation using sodium tetrahydroborate in a HCl medium. Increased HCl concentration in the sample solution promotes the fo rmation of volatile chloride species in the hydride mixtures. The generated arsenic chloride species were characterized using electron impact ionizati on mass spectrometry.