Analytical sensitivity of arsenobetaine on atomic spectrometric analysis and the purity of synthetic arsenobetaine

Abstract

Arsenobetaine is one of the main organoarsenic compounds that exist in living organisms. Determination errors in total arsenic analyses for organoarsenic compounds occur because analytical sensitivities depend upon the chemical forms of the compounds. However, information on the analytical sensitivity of arsenobetaine by ICP-MS and ICP-AES and the purity of commercially available arsenobetaine standards is lacking. BCR CRM 626 (arsenobetaine solution) is a certified reference material from IRMM with a certified concentration of arsenobetaine. The sensitivity and behavior of arsenobetaine on ICP-MS and ICP-AES were investigated using the BCR arsenobetaine. The analytical sensitivity and behavior of arsenobetaine using ICP-MS and ICP-AES were also investigated using a commercially available synthetic arsenobetaine, and were compared with results for BCR-AB based on a Japan calibration service system (JCSS) arsenic standard solution. In the results, arsenic determined directly in arsenobetaine showed about 15% greater sensitivity in analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-AES than did inorganic (JCSS) arsenic. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.