Optimization of a methodology for speciation of arsenic, selenium and mercury in blood samples based on the deep eutectic solvent

Abstract

In this research, a new liquid phase microextraction based on the solidification of deep eutectic solvent (LPME–SDES) has been developed for the speciation of As(III), As(V), Se(IV), Se(VI), Hg(II) and organic mercury (R-Hg) in the blood of children prior to their analysis by iridium-modified tube electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS).•In this method, a green solvent consisting of Choline chloride and decanoic acid in the molar ratio of 1:2 was used as a green hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent for the extraction of complexed ions from real blood samples.•The DESs replace the toxic organic solvents apply for extraction and could be synthesize from cheap accessible chemicals.•Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs for As, Se and Hg were linear in the rage of 0.15–40, 0.05–5.0 and 0.30–60 μg l−1, respectively and, the detection limit of As, Se and Hg were 0.05, 0.015 and 0.10 μg l−1, respectively.