Ionic liquid based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with ICP-OES for the determination of trace quantities of cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel and zinc in environmental water samples

Abstract

We describe a method for ionic liquid based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of Co(II), Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II), followed by their determination via flow injection inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The method is making use of the complexing agent 1-(2-thenoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoracetone, the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and of ethanol as the dispersing solvent. After extraction and preconcentration, the sedimented ionic liquid (containing the target analytes) is collected, diluted with 1-propanol, and introduced to the ICP-OES. Effects of pH, ionic strength, ligand to metal molar ratio, volumes of extraction and disperser solvents on the performance of the microextraction were optimized in a half-fractional factorial design. The significant parameters were optimized using a face-centered central composite design. The method has detection limits between 0.10 and 0.20 ng mL−1 of the metal ions, preconcentration factors between 79 and 102, linear responses in 0.25 to 200 ng mL−1 concentration ranges, and relative standard deviations of 3.4 to 6.0%. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of drinking water, a fish farming pond water, and waste water from an industrial complex.