Levels and speciation of arsenic in the atmosphere in Beijing, China

Arsenic levels and speciation in the total suspended particles (TSPs) were quantitatively determined by high performance liquid chromatography on-line coupled with hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry in Beijing, China from February 2009 to March 2011. The high TSP levels fluctuated between 0.07 and 0.79 mg m−3, with a mean level of 0.32 ± 0.17 mg m−3. The total arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 0.31 μg m−3 (mean: 0.13 ± 0.06 μg m−3) in Beijing‘s air. The concentrations of As(III) and As(V) ranged from 0.73 to 20 ng m−3 (mean: 4.7 ± 3.6 ng m−3) and from 14 to 2.5 × 102 ng m−3 (mean: 67 ± 35 ng m−3), respectively. As levels and speciation demonstrated relative higher levels in spring and autumn and lower values in summer and winter. As(V) accounted for 81–99% of the extractable species in the TSP samples which showed that As(V) was the major fraction of the extractable As. Organoarsenic species, monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA) were not found in all samples. Higher values of enrichment factors demonstrated that arsenic in TSP mainly come from anthropogenic sources. High As and its species levels in air and respiratory exposure (0.30–0.84 μg d−1) attributed to higher excess cancer risk ((4.2 ± 2.0) × 10−4) for people in Beijing.

► We determine the total concentration and speciation of arsenic in TSP in Beijing from February 2009 to March 2011.
► Organoarsenic species were not found in all samples.
► As(V) accounted for 81–99% of the extractable species in TSP comparing to As(III).
► The risk assessment suggested an unfavorable health environment for the population in Beijing.