Determination of Trace Amounts of Gold in Electroplating Rinsing Bath by Slotted Quartz Tube Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Matrix Matching Calibration Strategy after Preconcentration with Vortex Assisted Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction

Abstract

With the aim of mitigating the low sensitivity of the conventional flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) for gold determination, a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) method was used to preconcentrate gold from the sample solution and a slotted quartz tube (SQT) was attached to the FAAS burner head to boost the residence time of the atoms in the flame. Three main optimization studies were performed to enhance the absorbance signal of gold by the FAAS system. The SQT-FAAS system was optimized based on the fuel and sample flow rates and the position of SQT on the burner head. Parameters including the pH and volume of buffer solution, volume of ligand solution, and mixing period were optimized for the efficient complexation of gold with diethyldithiocarbamate. The DLLME method was optimized based on the type and volume of dispersive and extraction solvents, type of ionic salt and mass of ionic salt. With the optimized values obtained, 1.7 and 5.6 µg/L were determined to be the method limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), respectively. The method applicability and accuracy in quantifying gold in a real sample matrix were determined by the use of spike recovery tests of electroplating rinse bath solution. Close to 100% recovery results were obtained using a matrix matching calibration method.