Arsenic speciation by capillary gas-liquid chromatography.

Specific environmentally significant arsenic compounds are determined by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. Inorganic (arsenite, arsenate) and organic (monomethylarsonate, dimethylarsinate) arsenicals are measured as the corresponding methylthioglycolate derivatives, which are simultaneously separated on wide-bore borosilicate glass and fused-silica columns under conditions of temperature programming. Inorganic arsenate and arsenite cannot be differentiated by the derivatization technique. Flame-ionization and electron-capture detection are evaluated. A simple and rapid sample preparation procedure is used for water, urine, blood, and tissue.