On-Line Separation and Preconcentration of Trace Metals in Biological Samples Using a Microcolumn Loaded with PAN-Modified Nanometer-Sized Titanium Dioxide,and Their Determination by ICP-AES

A flow injection analysis system incorporating a microcolumn of nanometer-sized TiO₂ loaded with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) has been used for the development of an on-line multi-element method for simultaneous separation and preconcentration and subsequent determination of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Y³⁺, Yb³⁺ and Bi³⁺ by ICP-AES. Effects of pH, sample flow rate and volume, elution conditions, adsorption capacity and interfering ions on analyte recovery were examined. The adsorption capacity of nanometer-sized TiO₂ loaded with PAN was 4.73, 18.57, 3.81, 6.14, 4.52 and 20.35mgg^–1 for Cu²⁺, Cr³⁺, Y³⁺, Yb³⁺, Co²⁺ and Bi³⁺, respectively. The method has been applied to the analysis of trace elements in standard reference biological samples, and the results are in good agreement with the certified values.