2.1. Instrumentation and reagents
A PerkinElmer (Norwalk, CT, USA) AAnalyst 200 atomic absorption
spectrometer provided with a quartz cell in an electrically heatedmantle,
in conjunction with a PerkinElmer Flow Injection Analysis System
(FIAS 100) was used for Sb(III) determination. The gas–liquid separator
(PerkinElmer) is a modular ‘building block’-type made fromchemically
resistant plastic with an exchangeable PTFE membrane placed in the
screw cap of the separator. An additional peristaltic pump, Minipuls 3
from Gilson (Villiers-le-Bel, France) was used to deliver the sample.
Connections among components were made with 1.0 mm (i.d.) PTFE
tubing. Tygon type pump tubing with internal diameters of 1.52 mm,
1.14 mm and 1.14 mm (Ismatec, Cole Parmer, Vernon Hills, IL, USA)
were employed to propel reagents and eluent, reductant and sample,
respectively.
A Sb hollow cathode lamp (PerkinElmer) operated at a current of
20 mA and a wavelength of 217.58 nm with a spectral band pass of
2.7 nm was used. Deuterium background corrector was used. Instrumental
details and operating conditions are summarised in Table 1.