Speciation analysis of atmospheric arsenic adsorbed on pollen and aerobiological samples before and during COVID-19 pandemic period

Abstract

Atmospheric arsenic species adsorbed on pollen samples were extracted and determined by liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP- MS). The optimised extraction method required acetone 1% (v v−1), 15 minutes ultrasonic bath and centrifugation. As (III) and As (V) concentrations ranged from 0.08 to 0.62 µg g−1, and from 0.33 to 0.89 µg g−1 respectively. The method reach a LOD and LOQ of 0.01 and 0.04 µg g−1 for As (III); and 0.01 and 0.06 µg g−1 for As (V), respectively analysing 0.05 g of pollen. Precision as relative standard deviation (RSD %) corresponded to 4.1% (n = 10). A standard addition method was performed for validation with quantitative As recoveries in a range of 81.39 to 104.81%. In order to define the As pollution source, a pre-pandemic and pandemic study was performed with significant variations in total As concentration in aerobiological samples, suggesting that traffic increases atmospheric As concentration.