A fast and sensitive flow-batch method with hydride generating and atomic fluorescence spectrometric detection for automated inorganic antimony speciation in waters

In this paper, a flow-batch analysis (FBA) system, hydride generation (HG), and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) are coupled for the first time to develop a fast and sensitive FBA–HG–AFS method for automated inorganic antimony speciation in waters, whether from the sea, mineral water, tap water, or lakes. Unlike previous automated flow methods that use confluent fluids and complex devices, the main advantage of the proposed FBA-HG-AFS method is an innovative use of a simple laboratory made flow-batch chamber to simultaneously perform mixing, homogenization, reactions, antimony hydride formation, and gas–liquid separation. The FBA-HG-AFS method was optimized using two–level full factorial and Box–Behnken designs, and validated on the basis of real repeated measurements and analysis of variance, yielding a satisfactory working range (100–2000 ng L−1), precision (RSD = 4%), sensitivity, and limit of detection (6 ng L−1) for the water samples analyzed. Accuracy was evaluated by recovery tests and analysis of a standard reference material (SRM 1643e) of trace elements in water (NIST, USA), resulting in recovery rates of from 90 to 114%, and relative error = 0.7%. The high sampling throughput (54 speciations h−1), together with low waste generation, low costs, low reagent and sample consumption make this FBA-HG-AFS method an interesting proposal for fast large-scale analysis in routine laboratoy according to the principles of green analytical chemistry.