Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 15/09/2016 11:53:02

Title: Is there any way to detect arsenic in wooden furniture?
Post by: thedoc on 15/09/2016 11:53:02

renata asked the Naked Scientists:
   Hi my name is Renata I am searching for something that can detect  or measure arsenic in wooden furniture or in the air, does such a device exist ? I am not a company but a private person
What do you think?

Title: Re: Is there any way to detect arsenic in wooden furniture?
Post by: Bored chemist on 17/09/2016 17:35:55

What's your budget, skill set,  and so on?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_fluorescence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsh_test
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinsch_test

Title: Re: Is there any way to detect arsenic in wooden furniture?
Post by: Ayana on 27/05/2022 16:42:04

Quote from: thedoc on 15/09/2016 11:53:02

Hi my name is Renata I am searching for something that can detect  or measure arsenic in wooden furniture or in the air, does such a device exist ? I am not a company but a private person
What do you think?

I am not sure if such a device exists, but I would recommend contacting a company that specializes in measuring arsenic levels.

Title: IRe: Is there any way to detect arsenic in wooden furniture?
Post by: paul cotter on 27/05/2022 19:52:03

I didn't read the references provided by bored chemist but i'm familiar with the marsh test and it's quite easy to do with a small quantity of acid and some simple glassware and it's quite sensitive. As far as I remember it will also give a positive with antimony. When it was invented it put a stop to the use of arsenic trioxide as "inheritance powder". I don't think arsenic is used or has been used in consumer products for a long time. It's only use today is in metallurgy, semiconductors and believe it or not, as an anti-cancer drug.