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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
Determination of cadmium in river water samples by flame AAS after on-line preconcentration in mini-column packed
Ilton L Alcântara1, Paulo S Roldan, Gustavo R Castro
1Instituto de Química, Departamento de Química Analítica-UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brasil.
Abstract:
A rapid and sensitive method was developed to determine trace levels of Cd2+ ions in an aqueous medium by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, using on-line preconcentration in a mini-column packed with 100 mg of 2-aminothiazol modified silica gel (SiAT). The Cd2+ ions were sorbed at pH 5.0. The preconcentrated Cd2+ ions were directly eluted from the column to the spectrometer's nebulizer-burner system using 100 microL of 2 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid. A retention efficiency of over 95% was achieved. The enrichment factor (calculated as the ratio of slopes of the calibration graphs) obtained with preconcentrations in a mini-column packed with SiAT (A = -1.3 x 10(-3) + 1.8 x 10(-3)[Cd2+]) and without preconcentrations (A = 4 x 10(-5) + 3.5 x 10(-5)[Cd2+]), was 51 and the detection limit calculated was 0.38 microg L(-1). The preconcentration procedure was applied to determine trace levels of Cd in river water samples. The optimum preconcentration conditions are discussed herein.
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