Gas Phase Chemiluminescence Detection of Trace Arsenic in Environmental Water

Abstract

An ozone-gas phase chemiluminescence determination of arsenic was performed for samples such as rain water, atmospheric moisture and sea water in which the arsenic concentration was less than 1ng/ml. This method is based on a combination of arsine generation from arsenite and/or arsenate, and the measurement of the chemiluminescence which occurs upon mixing ozone and arsine. The analytical results were intercalibrated with those obtained by flow injection analysis-atomic absorption spectrometry. Both results coincide with each other within 15%. It has been found by the present method that arsenic is continuously contained in rain water during rainfall. Arsenic was also measured in condensed atmospheric moisture, which was derived from aerosol particles of >0.8μm diameter. The distributions of the total and inorganic arsenic in seawater are also given. The present method is simple and can be established in observation fields, such as on a research vessel.