Ultrasonic assisted glass bead loaded gas liquid separator-photochemical vapor generation-T-shaped slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry system for antimony determination in tap water and wastewater samples

Abstract

In this study, optimization and validation of ultrasonic assisted glass bead loaded gas liquid separator-photochemical vapor generation-T-shaped slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (UA-GLS-PVG-T-SQT-FAAS) system was performed for the determination of antimony in real samples. Volatile derivatives of antimony were generated and separated from liquid matrix by combination of a UV photoreactor and gas–liquid separation. Optimization of all variable parameters which effect volatile compound generation and separation efficiency such as low molecular weight organic acid type and concentration, ultraviolet irradiation period, gas–liquid separator design, carrier gas flow rate and sample volume were evaluated one at a time keeping the others constant. Limit of detection and quantification were calculated as 47 and 157 µg L–1, respectively. Detection power of the developed method was enhanced about 58 folds compared to conventional FAAS system over LOD comparison. In addition, applicability/accuracy of the developed method was checked by spiking experiments in tap and wastewater samples and percent recovery results were found in the range 83.4–106.4%.