A simple, rapid and robust analytical method for determining diphenylarsinic acid in human and environmental samples was developed based on a combination of hydrophilic polymer-based gelpermeation high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hair and nail samples were digested with alkali, and liberated diphenylarsinic acid (derivative) was extracted with diethyl ether, redissolved in water and injected for HPLC-ICP-MS analysis. Human urine, groundwater and water extracts from soils were injected for HPLC-ICP-MS directly after filtration. Using the method, diphenylarsinic acid in a solution was quantified in 7 min duration for an analysis with a detection limit of sub-nanograms per milliliter. The method has been applied to groundwater arsenic pollution recently uncovered in Japan.

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