A study of specific adsorption of arsenic (As) and humic acid (HM) onto Pt and Pt films using cyclic voltammetry and cyclic massogram in 0.5-M H2SO4 is presented, which may serve as an alternative to studies involving specific adsorption of these species on soil minerals. Adsorption of As is normally evaluated by conducting batch adsorption experiments, followed by analysis using hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HGAA) or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). We found that specific adsorption of As and HM depends both on the surface and on these species present in the adsorption solution. HM does not desorb previously adsorbed As at the HM concentrations used in the present study, but it does co-adsorb with As from a 1 x 10(-6)-M aqueous solution of As2O3 containing 1 mg of carbon L-1 HM. Arsenic adsorbs strongly on Pt in the presence of HM or during sequential specific adsorption with HM. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.