Observations on Arsenic and Selenium Determinations Using Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption and/or Plasma Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract Regulatory and environmental concerns have made the determination of trace amounts of arsenic and selenium extremely important. Selenium is an essential trace nutrient while arsenic is a cumulative poison. Unlike synthetic organic chemicals, these “heavy metals,” of course, are not man-made. Environmental pollution problems associated with these elements, therefore, are the result of redistribution of naturally occurring elements by agricultural and industrial processes.