title: Speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in environmental samples determined by selective separation and preconcentration on silica gel chemically modified with niobium(V) oxide.
abstract: In this study a new method for chromium speciation in water using solid phase extraction coupled to a flow injection system and flame atomic absorption spectrometry was developed. The adsorption behavior of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) on Nb2O5-SiO2 allowed the selective separation of Cr(III) from Cr(VI) in the pH range of 6-9. Thus, a method for Cr(III) preconcentration and extraction using Nb2O5-SiO2 was developed. Total chromium was determined after the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) using sodium sulfite in acidic medium. The operational variables of the preconcentration and reduction procedures were optimized through full factorial and Doehlert designs. The limit of detection for Cr(III) was 0.34microgL(-1) and the precision was below 4.6%. Results for recovery tests using different environmental samples were between 90 and 105%. Certified reference materials (NIST 1640 and NIST 1643e) were analyzed in order to check the accuracy of the proposed method, and the results were in agreement with the certified values.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martendal
authors.forename: Heloisa França
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Maltez
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carasek
mesh_terms: D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009556:Niobium / Q000737:chemistry*; D009862:Online Systems; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010087:Oxides; D009556:Niobium; D002857:Chromium; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C073337:niobium pentoxide