Copper, iron, and lead levels in fertilizer and water samples: separation and preconcentration on multiwaled carbon nanotubes

ABSTRACT

An enrichment-separation method using solid-phase extraction of trace amounts of Fe(III), Cu(II), and Pb(II) as their pyrocatechol violet chelates on multiwaled carbon nanotube column has been established. Analytes were desorbed from the column by using 5 mL of 2.0 M HNO₃. Influences of some analytical parameters like pH and sample volume on the recoveries of the analyte ions were investigated. Effects of matrix ions were also evaluated. The presented procedure was validated by using additional recovery test and analyzing the certified reference materials (SRM 1570a—Trace Elements in Spinach Leaves and TMDA-70 fortified lake water). The application of this method was successfully performed for the determination of copper, iron, and lead levels in various fertilizer samples marketed in Kayseri–Turkey and some water samples.

Keywords:

• Multiwaled carbon nanotubes
• Pyrocatechol violet
• Heavy metals
• Flame atomic absorption spectrometry
• Fertilizer
• Solid phase extraction
• Preconcentration

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful for the financial support of the Unit of the Scientific Research Project of Erciyes University (Project no: FBY-10-3079). The authors would like to thank TUBITAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) for providing Perkin-Elmer 3110 atomic absorption spectrometer used in the present study.