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The reduction of arsenate ion to arsenite ion by a variety of tissues was widely distributed, and not a property of any particular tissue. The nature of the reduction was investigated by using various chemical inducers and inhibitors and is believed to be chemical in nature.

Arsenite ion, as arsenic trichloride was extracted into benzene from strongly acidified tissue homogenates. Following this, arsenite was extracted from the benzene into water, made up in 1N HCl and analyzed polarographically. Arsenate ion, left in the homogenate after arsenite extraction is isolated in exactly the same way following treatment of the homogenate with cuprous ion to reduce arsenate to arsenite ion. Treatment of the acidified homogenate with cuprous ion prior to extraction gives a homogenate which is readily analyzed for total “inorganic” arsenic. The method was efficient to a maximum level of about 20 μg inorganic arsenic since at higher levels lower recoveries were found. Analysis of a variety of marine biological specimens, with levels of total arsenic up to 40.5 ppm, indicated little of this arsenic was present in an inorganic form. Post mortem reduction of arsenate to arsenite was found to occur rapidly in fish tissue.

Field studies on the use of coated polyurethane foam plugs as indwelling water monitors and studies of the ability of such foams to quantitatively extract polychlorinated biphenyls, dieldrin and members of the DDT complex were carried out using waters of an industrial nature and agricultural nature. Recoveries of all spiked materials were generally in excess of 90%. Indwelling foams took from 24-48 hours to reach plateau values and from the levels of plateaus reached it is suggested that only the external surface of the porous plug is active. Use and reuse of plugs as well as extraction in the field is easily accomplished.