Liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry hybridation for antimony speciation in environmental samples.

Atomic fluorescence spectrometry was used as an element-specific detector in hybridation with liquid chromatography (LC) and hydride generation for the speciation of Sb(III), Sb(V) and trimethylantimony dichloride (TMSbCl(2)). The three species were poorly resolved in a single chromatogram but good results were obtained by anion-exchange chromatography, using a mobile phase with 20mM EDTA and 8mM hydrogenphthalate to separate Sb(III) and Sb(V) and 1mM carbonate at pH 10 to separate Sb(V) and TMSbCl(2). Calibration graphs were linear between 2 and 100mugl(-1). Detection limits were 0.9, 0.5 and 0.7mugl(-1) for Sb(III), Sb(V) and TMSbCl(2), respectively. The method was applied to the speciation of antimony in environmental samples.