Field sample preconcentration of copper in sea water using chelating minicolumns subsequently incorporated on a flow-injection-flame atomic absorption spectrometry system.
A field flow preconcentration system for copper determination in seawater is described. Seawater samples are collected and preconcentrated in situ by passing them using a peristaltic pump through a minicolumn packed with Amberlite XAD-4 impregnated with the complexing agent 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol. Thus, copper is preconcentrated without the interference of the saline matrix. Once in the laboratory, the minicolumns loaded with copper are incorporated on a flow injection system and eluted with a small volume of a 20% (v/v) ethanolic solution of 0.5 mol L-1 hydrochloric acid into the nebuliser-burner system of a flame atomic absorption spectrometer. The analytical figures of merit for the determination of copper are as follows: detection limit (3s), 0.06 microgram L-1; precision (RSD), 1.2% for 2 micrograms L-1; enrichment factor, 30 (using 25 mL of sample and 83 microL of eluent). Analysis of certified reference materials (SLEW-3 and NASS-5) showed good agreement with the certified value. This procedure was applied to the determination of copper in seawater samples from Galicia (Spain).
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Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782-Santiago de Compostela, Spain. qncayebi@usc.es
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Enríquez
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Moreno-Cid
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García
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D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis; D012623:Seawater; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper