Combination of supramolecular solvent-based microextraction and ultrasound-assisted extraction for cadmium determination in flaxseed flour by thermospray flame furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

This study describes the development of a new analytical method for cadmium determination in flaxseed flour based on ultrasound-assisted extraction combined with supramolecular preconcentration followed by thermospray flame furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Cadmium from flaxseed flour was extracted by ultrasound-assisted radiation in acid medium (1.5 mol L−1HNO3) followed by liquid–liquid microextraction of the acid extractwith dodecanoic acid/THF supramolecular solvent using diethyl dithiophosphate as a chelating agent. The limit of detection and the analytical curve range were found to be 0.10 μg L−1 and 0.35 to 20.0 μg L−1, respectively. The cadmium concentration in the flaxseed flours was ranged from 0.11 ± 0.04 to 0.79 ± 0.03 µg g−1. The proposed methodis considered simpler, faster, low-cost, and environmentally friendly compared to procedures currently used for the determination of cadmium based on acid digestion and using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.