Solid-Phase Extractive Preconcentration of Trace Copper as its Calmagite Anionic Chelate using a Polyaniline Column for Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination

Abstract

A new solid phase extraction method based on the application of polyaniline as the sorbent and calmagite as the anionic chelating agent is reported for selective preconcentration of trace copper, prior to its determination by microsample injection system-flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The parameters that influence the extraction and chelate formation were optimized. The copper was retained on a polyaniline minicolumn at pH 4.0 and eluted with 2.0 mL of 3.0 mol L-1 nitric acid. Under the optimum conditions, the limit of detection, the relative standard deviation, and the preconcentration factor were 1.98 µg L-1, less than 5.4%, and 50 to 200, respectively. The method was validated through the analysis of certified reference water samples and standard addition measurements. Quantitative recoveries between 93.4% and 103.5% were obtained. The method was successfully applied to the determination of copper in water. © 2015, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.