Determination of particulate and gaseous arsenic compounds in the atmosphere at trace levels

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  • 大気中の微量粒子状およびガス状ヒ素化合物の測定

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A method was investigated for the determination of particulate and gaseous arsenic in the atmosphere at trace levels. The particulate arsenic was collected at two fractions, coarse particles (>1.5μm) and fine particles (<1.5μm), by two-stage Andersen impactor. The particulate arsenic could be sufficiently extracted with HNO3/H2O2 without loss of arsenic. The gaseous arsenic was collected by an alkali filter impregnated with 10% polyethyleneimine and glycerol solution. The collection efficiency of gaseous arsenic by the alkali filter was 72% from the result of field test and two alkali filters in series could collect atmospheric gaseous arsenic more than 90%.<BR>The particulate and gaseous arsenic was determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry combined with a trap of liquid nitrogen. This technique has a high sensitivity and good reproducibility for arsenic determination at ng levels, and the detection limit of arsenic was 0.2ng. In case of 40m3 air sampling volume, this analytical method allows arsenic in the atmosphere at 0.005μg/m3 to be determined.<BR>This method was used to the measurement of particulate and gaseous arsenic in the atmosphere at Hiyoshi, Yokohama, from February to July, 1982. The average concentrations of arsenic compounds in the atmosphere were 1.9ng/m3 in coarse particles (>1.5μm), 4.7ng/m3 in fine particles (<1.5μn) and 0.02ng/m3 in gaseous arsenic. Therefore, most of arsenic in the atmosphere exsists in fine particles, and gaseous arsenic is 0.1-0.5% of total arsenic.

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