Blank values, adsorption, pre-concentration, and sample preservation for arsenic speciation of environmental water samples

Arsenic is the focus of public attention because of its toxicity. Arsenic analysis, its toxicity, and its fate in the environment have been broadly studied, still its blank values, adsorption to sampling materials and pre-concentration of water samples as well as stabilization of arsenic compounds in water samples under field conditions have been very little investigated. In this study, we investigate the blank values and adsorption of arsenic compounds for different laboratory materials. We focused our work onto pre-concentration of water samples and how to stabilize arsenic compounds under field conditions. When using glassware for arsenic analysis, we suggest testing arsenic blank values due to the potential release of arsenic from the glass. Adsorption of arsenic compounds on different laboratory materials (<10%) showed little influence on the arsenic speciation. Pre-concentration of in ethanol water solutions could result in potential overestimation of arsenic compounds concentrations. Successful pre-concentration of water samples by nitrogen-purge provides an analytical possibility for arsenic compounds with high recoveries (>80%) and low transformation of arsenic compounds. Thus, concentrations as low as I ng As l(-1) can be determined. Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and storage in the dark can decrease the transformation among arsenic compounds in rainwater and soil-pore water for at least a week under field conditions. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.