A novel method for the simultaneous determination of Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II) in environmental water samples

ABSTRACT

A novel UV-VIS spectrophotometric method was developed in this study by using solid phase extraction procedure for the simultaneous preconcentration, separation and determination of trace levels of Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II) ions in various water samples by using Amberlite N,N-bis(salicylidene)cyclohexanediamine (SCHD) resin. This study presents the results of experimental procedures carried out like the adsorption of analytes to the resin, influences of some analytical parameters that effect the recovery such as pH, sample volume, sample flow rate, eluent type and concentration, eluent volume, eluent flow rate and the effects of alkaline metals, earth alkaline metals and some other transition metals. The analytes in the samples with the adjusted pH range of 4–7 were adsorbed on XAD-4-SCHD resin and eluted by using 1.0 mol L⁻¹ nitric acid. The amounts of ions were determined by using UV-VIS spectrometer. The limits of detection were 0.03, 0.07 and 0.05 µg mL⁻¹ for Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II), respectively. The accuracy of the method was assured by the analysis of the certified standard water sample NW-TMDA-70.2 and the observed recoveries were above 93%. Different environmental water samples that contain trace amounts of Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II) were analysed by using the method developed in this study. Same samples were also analysed by ICP-MS for comparison and almost the similar results were observed. The method developed in this study was successfully applied to the various environmental water samples to determine the trace levels of Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II) ions.

KEYWORDS:

• Amberlite XAD-4-SCHD resin
• solid phase extraction
• UV-VIS spectrophotometry
• trace metal

Acknowledgments

We thank the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University (Project No. 2015.09.02.911) for partial financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Coordination Unit of Scientific Research Projects under Grant Number: BAIBU BAP.2015.09.02.911.