DETERMINATION OF TRACE CADMIUM BY FLOW INJECTION ON-LINE MICROCOLUMN PRECONCENTRATION COUPLED WITH FLAME ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY USING HUMAN HAIR AS A SORBENT

Abstract

A novel method using a cone-shaped pipette tip packed with human hair as an adsorption material has been developed for the on-line flow injection preconcentration of trace Cd(II) ions based on its complex formation with the ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) prior to flame atomic absorption spectrometric (FAAS) determination. Cd-PDC complex sorbed on the human hair was eluted by 4.0 mol L−1 HNO3. The enhancement factor is 19, and the detection limit (3σ) is 0.77 μg L−1. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of trace cadmium in drinking water, beverage samples, and the certified reference materials.