Homogeneous catalysis for photochemical vapor generation for speciation of inorganic selenium by high performance liquid chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and cost-effective homogeneous catalysis photochemical vapor generation (PVG) system for HPLC separation and atomic fluorescence spectrometry detection was reported herein for the speciation analysis of trace Se(iv) and Se(vi). Homogeneous Cd ions as a catalyst were stable and reliable, without complex nanomaterial synthesis and coating. Under the conditions of 60 mu g mL(-1) Cd ions, 3.5 m reaction coil, 40% acetic acid and 0.30 mL min(-1) of 5 mM Na2CO3-1.3 mM NaHCO3, the online HPLC-Cd-PVG-AFS system enabled us to achieve a calculated detection limit of 0.16 and 0.21 ng mL(-1) for Se(iv) and Se(vi), respectively. Moreover, it could also work successfully even in a phosphate separation system. Under the optimized conditions of 60 mu g mL(-1) Cd ions, 5 m reaction coil, 40% acetic acid and 0.35 mL min(-1) of 50 mM Na2HPO3, a detection limit of 0.49/0.78 ng mL(-1) for Se(iv)/Se(vi) was achieved.