Group atomic fluorescence determination of volatile hydride-forming elements using gas chromatographic separation

Elements forming volatile hydrides (bismuth, germanium, arsenic, tin, selenium, antimony, and tellurium) are highly toxic, and control of their content in the environment is an important task for chemical analysis. In this work a method of group determination of hydride-forming elements is examined for coals, soils, sols, and natural and waste waters involving chromatographic separation and concentration of volatile hydrides and nondispersive atomic fluorescence analysis. Atomization was carried out by gas-phase thermal decomposition with hot helium as carrier