Preconcentration and Determination of Copper(II) by Novel Solid-Phase Extraction and High-Resolution Continuum Source Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Amberlite XAD-4 modified with N-para-anisidine-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine was investigated as a new chealting sorbent for the selective separation and preconcentration of Cu(II). The metal ion was retained by chemical sorption on the modified resin, eluted by hydrochloric acid, and determined by high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The prepared resin was characterized for the solid-phase extraction of Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Zn²⁺ in a column. The influence of the pH, the mass of solid phase, eluent, flow rate, and sample volume was optimized. Using the optimum conditions, only Cu(II) showed quantitative sorption at the 95% confidence level, and the recoveries of the other metal ions were below 80%. A preconcentration factor 125 was obtained for Cu(II) with a limit of detection of 0.56?µg?L^?1. The method was used for the determination of Cu(II) in tap water, river water, tomato leaves, and fish. The relative standard deviation and the relative error were lower than 7%.