A simple and rapid copper-assisted microprecipitation method for the on-site separation of inorganic arsenic species in water samples followed by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry determination

Abstract

A simple and rapid microprecipitation procedure was developed using copper (Cu2+) as precipitating agent for the separation–preconcentration of inorganic arsenic species (As(III) and As(V)) in waters prior to their determination by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). This procedure is based on selective precipitation of anionic species of As(V) with Cu2+, leaving neutral As(III) in the filtrate. The complexation of As(V) with Cu(II) entails the precipitation as copper arsenate, Cu3(AsO4)2 due to its low solubility product. The copper arsenate precipitate was characterized by XRD and EDS measurements. Optimum conditions for efficient microprecipitation process are; pH: 5 to 6, Cu/As mass ratio: 100, equilibration time: 2–3 min and eluent volume: 2 mL of 0.03 mol L−1 HCl. A fast process time of 2 min is enough for the on-site separation of As(III) and As(V) with the detection limits (LOD) 0.012 and 0.034 μg L−1 respectively. The recoveries were found to be in the range of 98–102%. This simple and fast method was successfully utilized for the on-site separation of As(III) and As(V) in wide variety of water samples collected in and around Kiradalli Tanda village, Karnataka state, India, where severe arsenic-contamination exists in various water bodies.