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An Alkaline Oxidation Method for Determination of Total Arsenic and Selenium in Sewage Sludges

Department of Agronomy, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA 50011.

^* Corresponding author (malit{at}iastate.edu).

ABSTRACT

A simple and precise method was developed for determination of total As and Se in sewage sludges by using hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). It involves boiling a 50-mg sample with sodium hypobromite (NaOBr) solution to dryness in a sand bath (260–280°C), extraction of the As and Se in the digest with 1.25 M H₂SO₄, and determination of these elements by HGAAS after reducing As(V) and Se(VI) to As(III) and Se(IV), respectively. The proposed method gives quantitative recovery of As and Se in standard reference materials (96–103%) and of these elements added to sewage sludges (95–100%). The average results of As (9.8 mg/kg) and Se (7.5 mg/kg) in 12 sewage sludges determined by the proposed digestion method agreed closely with those obtained by the acid digestion methods recommended by USGS and USEPA. Tests with 13 metals indicated that, at the concentrations expected in sewage sludges, none of the metals interfered with determination of As and Se by the proposed method. A single operator can complete analysis of one of the elements in 40 samples in a normal working day, or both elements in 1.5 d.

Journal paper no. 16021 of the Iowa Agric. and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, IA; Projects 2710 and 3047. This work was partly supported by the Biotechnology By-products Consortium of Iowa.

Received for publication September 19, 1994.