Preconcentration and Determination of Cadmium in Water and Food Samples byin situSurfactant-Based Solid-Phase Extraction and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

In situ surfactant-based solid-phase extraction (ISS-SPE) is proposed as a preconcentration procedure for the determination of cadmium in water and food samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the present work, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as a cationic surfactant, hexafluorophosphate ion as an ion-pairing agent and 4-benzylpiperidinedithiocarbamate potassium salt (K-4-BPDC) as a chelating agent. Several variables that affect the extraction efficiencies such as pH, type and amount of surfactant, concentration of ion-pairing agent, concentration of chelating agent, ionic strength and extraction time were investigated and optimized. After optimization of the complexation and extraction conditions, an enrichment factor of 40 was obtained. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 1-50 µg L-1 and the limit of detection was 0.3 µg L-1. The relative standard deviation for 20 µg L-1 of cadmium was lower than 2.2%. Validation of the methodology was performed by standard addition method and analysis of certified reference materials. The method was successfully applied to the determination of cadmium in various food and water samples.