Fractions of arsenic and selenium in fly ash by ultrasound-assisted sequential extraction

Sequential extraction has been validated as an effective method to assess the fractions of elements in fly ash. However, the time consumption and high labor costs limit the application of the conventional sequential extraction (CSE) for fast screening of elemental fractions in fly ash. In this study, two ultrasound-assisted sequential extraction (UASE) methods were developed for fast analysis of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) fractions in fly ash (FA). The parameters of UASE were optimized by comparing the results of As and Se obtained from UASE with those values observed via CSE. The operation time of sequential extraction procedures for As and Se were shortened from 24.5 h to less than 90 min. A certified reference material (CRM, GBW08401) and real fly ash samples were applied to validate the developed UASE. The recoveries of As and Se were found in the range of 82.3% to 114%. For all fractions, the performance of UASE was faster than CSE with the acceptable uncertainties. The analytical results demonstrated that the concentration of As in F3 was found to be higher than other fractions, while the main forms of Se were found to be in F1 and F3 in the fly ash samples. Based on the advantages of high efficiency and easy operation, the developed UASE procedures can be applied for fast screening of the mobility and bioavailability of As and Se in FA from coal fired power plants.