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Abstract: A novel, rapid and simple method by hydride generation-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-ETAAS) after direct As, Bi, Sb and Sn hydrides generation from untreated filters of atmospheric particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) was optimised. PM10 and PM2.5 were not subjected to any pre-treatment: circular portions between 0.28 and 6.28cm2 were directly placed into the reaction vessel of a batch mode generation system. A 28 ×3/64 Plackett–Burman design was used as a multivariate strategy for the evaluation of the effects of several variables affecting the hydride generation, trapping and atomisation efficiencies. Trapping temperature was the most statistically significant variable for As, Bi and Sn. Atomisation temperature was also statistically significant for Sb determination. Optimum values of significant variables were selected by using univariate optimisation approaches. An aqueous calibration method was used throughout. The developed method has been found to be precise with relative standard deviations of 6.2, 5.3, 9.1 and 7.5% for 11 determinations in a filter sample containing 0.7, 1.0, 1.4 and 1.7μgl−1 for As, Bi, Sb and Sn, respectively. Results obtained by direct solid sampling-HG-ETAAS have been found statistically comparable with those obtained after conventional method based on an acid digestion followed to ICP-MS. Absolute detection limits were 37, 15, 30, and 41ngl−1 for As, Bi, Sb and Sn, respectively. Detection limits referred to the air volume sampled (in the range of 0.020–0.050ngm−3) were low enough for the determination of several hydride-forming elements from PM10 and PM2.5 samples collected in a non-polluted suburban area of A Coruña (NW Spain). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A method for Ge determination in hot spring water and acid extracts from coal fly ash samples involving hydride generation, trapping and atomisation of the hydride generated from Ir-treated graphite tubes (GTs) has been developed. Hydride was generated from hydrochloric acid medium using sodium tetrahydroborate. Several factors affecting the hydride generation, transport, trapping and atomisation efficiency were studied by using a Plackett-Burman design. Results obtained from Plackett-Burman designs suggest that trapping and atomisation temperatures are the significant factors involved on the procedure. The accuracy was studied using NIST-1633a (coal fly ash) reference material. The detection limit of the proposed method was 2.4 μg l-1 and the characteristic mass of 233 pg was achieved. The Ge concentrations in fly ash and hot spring samples were between 6.25–132 μg g-1 and 12.84–36.2 μg l-1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A hydride generation procedure, via flow injection, coupled to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was optimised for Bi determination in sea water and hot-spring water and acid extracts from coal, coal fly ash and slag samples. The effects of several variables such as hydrochloric acid and sodium tetrahydroborate concentrations, hydrochloric acid and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rates, reaction coil length, trapping and atomisation temperatures, trapping time and the Ar flow rate have been investigated by using a 29*3/128 Plackett–Burman design. From these studies, certain variables (sodium tetrahydroborate concentration and trapping time) showed up as significant, and they were optimised by a 22+star central composite design. In addition, a study of the bismuthine trapping and atomisation efficiency from graphite tubes (GTs) permanently treated with uranium, tantalum, lanthanum oxide, niobium, beryllium oxide, chromium oxide and tantalum carbide were investigated. The results obtained were compared with those achieved by iridium and zirconium-treated GTs. The best analytical performances, with characteristic mass of 35 pg and detection limit of 70 ng l−1, were achieved by using U-treated GTs. Accuracy were checked using several reference materials: 1643d (Trace Elements in Water), TM-24 (Reference Water), GBW-07401 (Soil) and 1632c (Trace Elements in Coal). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]