Determination of four arsenic species in environmental water samples by liquid chromatography- inductively coupled plasma - tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Robust and sensitive methods for monitoring inorganic and organic As species As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinate (DMA), and monomethylarsonate (MMA) in environmental water are necessary to understand the toxicity and redox processes of As in a specific environment. The method is sufficiently sensitive and selective to ensure accurate and precise quantitation of As(III), As(V), DMA, and MMA in surface water and groundwater samples with As species concentrations from tens of nanograms per liter to 50 µg/L without dilution of the sample. Mean recoveries of the four species spiked into reagent water, surface water and groundwater and measured periodically over three months ranged from 87.2 % to 108.7 % and relative standard deviation of replicates of all analytes ranged from 1.1 % to 9.0 %. •A PRP-X100 column and nitrate/phosphate mobile phase was used to separate As(III), As(V), DMA, and MMA in 0.45 µm filtered surface water and groundwater matrices. •Oxygen was used in the collision cell of the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer with MS/MS mode to shift the measured As mass from 75 to 91. • The analytical performance of the method and figures of merit including detection limits, precision, accuracy, and interferences when applied to surface water and groundwater matrices were investigated.