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Speciation of arsenic is crucial for assessing health implications from arsenic ingestion and for effective removal of arsenic from water. We report a method for the speciation of submicrogram per liter levels of arsenic in water. The method incorporates water sample collection with on-site arsenic species separation. The method is based on selective retention of arsenic species on specific solid-phase cartridges followed by selective elution and hydride generation atomic fluorescence analysis of the arsenic species. The use of a membrane filter, a resin-based strong cation-exchange cartridge, and a silica-based strong anion-exchange cartridge allows for the speciation of particulate arsenic and soluble arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonate, and dimethylarsinate species. Detection limit is on the order of 0.05 μg/L. The method is suitable for direct water sample collection and on-site separation of arsenic species by flowing a measured volume of water sample through the filter and cartridges connected in serial. A particular advantage of this approach is to maintain the integrity of original arsenic species in the sample. It overcomes the common problem of instability of arsenic species after water sampling and during sample storage and handling. Applications of the method are demonstrated to the speciation of arsenic in well water, raw (untreated) river water, bottled water, and a standard reference material (SRM 1643d). Results agree well with the certified values of the SRM.

Background: Inhalational exposure to zinc oxide fumes is associated with metal fume fever, a self‐limited but very uncomfortable condition closely resembling influenza. Very little is known regarding the toxicokinetics of inhaled zinc, making the interpretation of zinc measurements in serum and urine problematic. Methods: Twenty workers in a zinc foundry in Baiyin, Peoples' Republic of China, were investigated with serial examinations by a physician, chest radiographs, and spirometry. Exposure assessment consisted of the measurement of zinc in serum, urine, and personal air samples. Results: No cases of metal fume fever were observed during the study period despite exposures to as high as 36.3 mg/m3 over less than 4 hr. In addition, no radiographic or functional changes were noted. Serum zinc levels of all workers were within the reference range and did not correlate with external exposure measurements. However, elevations were noted in urinary zinc levels, which showed a significant association (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.47, P = 0.04) between exposure to zinc and urine zinc. Conclusions: These results provide exposure measurements for zinc at which workers demonstrate tolerance to the development of metal fume fever. Furthermore, they suggest that urine may be the preferred biological medium for the assessment of zinc exposure. Am. J. Ind. Med. 35:574–580, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Various solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were investigated for speciation of arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(v)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Cartridges containing different types of sorbent materials were tested for arsenic retention and elution characteristics. Alumina cartridges were found to completely retain all the four target arsenic species, and are suitable for removal and preconcentration purposes. For speciation analysis, different arsenic species were separated on the basis of their selective retention on and elution from specific cartridges. DMA was retained on a resin-based strong cation exchange cartridge and eluted with 1.0 M HCl. MMA and As(v) were both retained on a silica-based strong anion exchange cartridge and sequentially eluted with 60 mM acetic acid (for MMA) and 1.0 M HCl [for As(v)]. As(III) was not retained on either cartridge and remained in solution. Arsenic species in solution and those eluted from the cartridges were subsequently quantified by using flow injection with hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (FI-HGAFS) and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HGAAS). A detection limit of 0.05 microg L(-1) arsenic in water sample was achieved using HGAFS. An application of the method was demonstrated at a drinking water treatment facility. As(III) and As(v) species were determined in water at various stages of treatment. The method is suitable for routine determination of trace levels of arsenic in drinking water to comply with more stringent environmental regulations.

In this study, material characteristics of historic oil paintings in a 19th century church in Ayvalık/Turkey were investigated to propose the treatments to be used in their conservation and protection. For this purpose, physical, chemical and mineralogical compositions and the microstructure of the paintings were determined by X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer, Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Infrared Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. Analysis results showed that the paintings were composed of very thin binding and white priming layers on which the pigments were applied. Binding layers were composed of polymerized vegetable oil with Zinc Oxide. Priming layers were composed of anglesite mineral in polymerized vegetable oil.Pigments used in paintings were mainly green earth, red chrome and iron oxide.

In this study, design and optimization studies of a sample introduction system based on ultrasonic nebulization of metal salts in aqueous environment for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopic detection were presented. The system consisted of an ultrasonic nebulizer connected to a tandem heater-condenser-membrane dryer unit that produces sub-micron size aerosols. Results indicate improvements in detection limits for some elements with the use of membrane dryer. Optimization studies were performed by systematical investigation of LIBS emission signal with respect to laser energy, carrier gas flow rate and detector timing parameters. Under optimized conditions, calibration graphs for Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, Al, Cr, Cd, Pb and Zn were constructed and detection limits were calculated. The applicability of the ultrasonic nebulization-LIBS system was tested on real water samples. This system establishes LIBS as an effective analytical tool for both qualitative and quantitative determination of metal aerosols in aqueous environments. This technique is sufficiently rapid to provide real-time monitoring of toxic metals.

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