Spectrophotometric determination of lead in biological samples with dibromo-p-methyl-methylsulfonazo

A new highly sensitive and selective chromogenic reagent, dibromo-p-methyl-methylsulfonazo (DBM-MSA), was studied for determination of lead. In 0.24 mol l(-1) phosphoric acid medium, which greatly increases the selectivity, lead reacts with DBM-MSA to form a 1:2 blue complex which has a sensitive absorption peak at 642 nm. Under the optimal conditions, Beer's law was obeyed over the range 0-0.6 mug ml(-1) Pb(II). The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity are 1.02x10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and 0.00203 mug cm(-2), respectively. The limit of quantification, limit of detection and relative standard deviations were found to be 7.30 and 2.21 ng ml(-1) and 1.1%, respectively. It is found that, except for Ca(II) and Ba(II), all foreign ions studied do not interfere with the determination. The interference caused by Ca(II) and Ba(II) can be easily eliminated by prior extraction with potassium iodide-methylisobutylketone. The method has been applied to the determination of lead in some biological samples with satisfactory results.     

A new lead(II)-selective PVC-coated graphite rod electrode based on a Schiff base complex.

A new lead(II)-selective electrode has been developed based on bis(acetylacetone)-p-phenylenediamine-lead(II) [LPb(NO3)2]H2O complex ionophore as a sensing material, dioctylphthalate (DOP) as a solvent mediator and PVC as a matrix. This electrode exhibits a linear Nernstian response over the concentration range of 1 x 10(-5)-1 x 10(-1) mol l(-1) of Pb(II) cation, with a cationic calibration slope of 30.0 +/- 0.2 mV/concentration decade and a detection limit of 2 x 10(-6) mol l(-1) (0.40 ppm). It has a fast response time and can be used for a period of 2 months without any divergence in potentials. The proposed electrode reveals a good selectivity for Pb(II) over a wide variety of other tested cations and could be used in the pH range of 4-8. It was successfully used for direct determination of Pb(II) concentration in some samples. The obtained results show a good agreement with those obtained by an atomic absorption spectrometric method. The average recovery obtained is 96.5 +/- 0.5% with standard deviation of 1.2% (n = 8).     

Synergic solvent extraction of divalent cations with decafluoroheptanedione and di-n-butylsulfoxide

The synergic solvent extraction of iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II) and lead(II) with l,l,l,2,2,6,6,7,7,7-decafluoro-3,5-heptanedione(H(FHD)) and di-n-butylsulfoxide (DBSO), is described. The divalent cations are extracted with 99.9% efficiency at pH 5.5 in extraction times of less than 15 min. The extracted species was shown to be M(FHD)₂·2 DBSO by mass action studies and elemental analyses. The extraction of copper(II) was also studied. No DBSO adduct was found in the copper extraction.     

Spectrophotometric determination of lead in foods with dibromo-p-methyl-bromosulfonazo

The synthesis and purification of a new chromogenic reagent dibromo-p-methyl-bromosulfonazo (DBMBSA) are described. A method is proposed for the spectrophotometric determination of lead with DBMBSA. In 0.24 M phosphoric acid medium, which greatly increases the selectivity, lead reacts with DBMBSA to form a 1:2 blue complex, having a sensitive absorption peak at 638 nm. Under the optimal conditions, Beer's law is obeyed over the range from 0 to 1 mug ml(-1) Pb(II) and the apparent molar absorptivity is 8.44x10(4) l mol(-1)cm(-1). The detection limit and the variation coefficient were found to be 2.45 ng ml(-1) and 1.3%, respectively. It is found that, except for Ca(II) and Ba(II), all foreign ions studied do not interfere with determination. The interference caused by Ca(II) and Ba(II) can be easily eliminated by prior extraction with potassium iodide-methylisobutylketone (KI-MIBK). The method has been applied to the determination of lead in foods with satisfactory results.     

Spectrophotometric flow-injection determination of nickel in biological materials

A flow injection method has been developed for the direct determination of free available Pb(II) and total Pb content in wine samples. The method is based on the chemical sorption of Pb(II), from pH 7 buffered solutions, on a packed polyurethane foam column, modified by addition of 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-p-cresol (BTAC). After this step, lead was directly eluted with a stream of 0.1 mol l(-1) HCl into an air C(2)H(2) flame in which lead was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Total lead was analyzed after sample digestion with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, being free available lead determined by direct sample on-line preconcentration and elution. The method provides a limit of detection (3sigma) of 1 mug l(-1) lead and relative standard deviation, which varies from 6 to 0.7% for lead concentration of 10 and 500 mug l(-1). Total content of lead in wine samples analyzed varied from 8 to 42 mug l(-1) being obtained free available values of Pb(II) under the limit of detection of the method. Recovery studies on natural wine samples, spicked with inorganic lead, evidenced the remaining capability of ligands, present in the wine, to avoid lead retention on the polyurethane foam loaded with BTAC.     

Simultaneous determination of copper, mercury and zinc in water with a tailored fluorescent bipyridine ligand entrapped in silica sol-gel

A novel fluorescent ligand, (4-[(E)-2-(4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridin-4-yl)vinyl]phenol) (abbreviated BSOH), has been designed and prepared for simultaneous determination of heavy metals in water. Its photophysical and photochemical properties in the absence and in the presence of Cd(II), Cu(II), Hg(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) were determined, and the respective complexation constants (7.4 × 10(3)-2.8 × 10(8) l mol(-1)) and stoichiometries were extracted thereof. The Stern-Volmer emission intensity and lifetime plots indicate an efficient static quenching of the indicator dye with the heavy metals. The BSOH fluorescent reagent has been successfully immobilised in a silica sol-gel matrix for automation of the analytical method, and the sensing phase demonstrated a reversible response to Cu(II), Hg(II) and Zn(II) but not to Cd(II) and Ni(II). Characterisation of the sensor showed that its response to those heavy metals is linear in the 2.5 to 50 μmol l(-1) range, with a response time (t (90)) on the order of 100 min, providing detection limits of 9.0 × 10(-7), 4.7 × 10(-7) and 2.9 × 10(-7) mol l (-1) for Zn(II), Cu(II) and Hg(II), respectively. Due to the stability of the immobilised ligand, which presented no leaching from the sol-gel matrix, the simultaneous determination of the three cations in water was feasible by employing multivariate calibration techniques coupled to fluorescence quenching measurements. The sensor was validated with recovery tests by addition of Cu(II) and Hg(II) ions to spring waters, providing results with standard errors lower than 4.1 μmol l (-1).     

Sequential extraction and determination of copper and nickel with 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone thiosemicarbazone

2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone thiosemicarbazone (DAPT) forms a 1:1 complex with copper(II) which can be extracted into n-butanol or ethyl acetate from acetic acid-sodium acetate (pH 5.0) buffer, and a 1:1 nickel(II) complex which can be extracted into n-butanol from ammonium chloride-ammonia (pH 7.5) buffer. The difference between the pH(1 2 ) values for extraction of the two complexes is 3.4 and this has been exploited for their sequential extraction and determination. The molar absorptivities for the copper and nickel complexes are 1.5 x 10(4)l.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 390 nm and 8.2 x 10(3)l.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 385 nm respectively. The procedure has been applied to the analysis of cupronickel.     

Extraction—spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol and a long-chain quaternary ammonium salt

A simple and highly sensitive extraction—spectrophotometric determination of copper (II) is described. The ion-associate formed between the copper(II)—4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR) anion and tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (TDBA) is extracted with chloroform at pH 9.7. The absorption maximum of the extracted species occurs at 510 nm, the molar absorptivity being 8.05 (± 0.07) × 10⁴ l mol^-1 cm^-1. Beer's Law is obeyed in the concentration range 0.1–0.5 μg Cu ml^-1. The composition of the ion-associate is estimated to be [Cu(PAR)₂(TDBA)₂]. The conditional extraction constant is log K'_ex ≈ 8. The interference of some cations and anions is studied. The method is suitable for analysis of waters.     

Sulphuric acid influence on liquid-liquid extraction of Co(II) and Zn(II) by MIBK from NH(4)SCN medium

Liquid-liquid extraction of Co(II) and Zn(II) by methylisobutylcetone (MIBK) has been studied systematically from NH(4)SCN/H(2)SO(4) media. The influence of sulphuric acid concentration on the percentage of extraction of Co(II) and Zn(II) has been discussed. It is shown that sulphuric acid concentration has not the same effect on distribution curves of Co(II) and Zn(II). Thus, it is possible to have a separation of Zn(II) of Co(II) when [NH(4)SCN] is 0.5 mol l(-1) and [H(2)SO(4)] is about 2 mol l(-1). Under these conditions the separation factor (S(Zn/Co)) is around 580. The results are treated in terms of thermodynamic activities in aqueous phase, to determine the composition of the extracted complexes (M:SCN(-)) and to discuss the extraction mechanism.     

Synergic extraction of zinc, cadmium and lead with hexafluoroacetylacetone and di-n-butylsulphoxide and tri-n-butyl phosphate, and the gas chromatography of the zinc adduct

The synergic solvent extraction of zinc(II), cadmium(II), and lead(II) with 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedione, H(HFA), and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) or di-n-butylsulphoxide (DBSO) as neutral donors, into cyclohexane has been investigated. Quantitative extraction occurs at pH 4.5-6.0 in extraction times of 10-30 min, depending on the metal species. The optimum pH, equilibration time, stoichiometry and stability of the extracted species, as well as the effect of fluorinated beta-diketone concentration, metal concentration and neutral donor concentration on the extraction are reported. The extracted species was found to be M(HFA)(2).2DBSO or M(HFA)(2).2TBP by mass-action studies. Thermogravimetric analysis of the complexes is reported. The gas chromatographic behaviour of the ternary complexes of the three metals has also been studied. A calibration plot of peak area vs. the amount of zinc injected was linear over the range 40-900 ng of zinc for the Zn(HFA)(2). 2DBSO species; the cadmium and lead species apparently decomposed on the column and useful chromatographic peaks were not observed. The calibration plot for zinc was determined on the basis of the averages of 3-5 replicate determinations for 14 different concentrations over the range stated. The average relative standard deviation was 2.9%.     

Extractive-spectrophotometric determination of trace iron(II) with di-2-pyridylmethanone 2-(5-nitro)pyridylhydrazone

The optimum conditions for the extractive-spectrophotometric determination of trace iron(II) with di-2-pyridylmethanone 2-(5-nitro)pyridylhydrazone have been established. Iron(II) reacts with this reagent at pH 2.0-7.5 to form an uncharged 1:2 (metal-to-ligand) complex, which can be extracted with toluene. Beer's law is obeyed over the range up to 0.84 mug/ml of iron(II) at 505 nm. The molar absorptivity of the extracted species is 5.83 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1). The proposed method is extremely sensitive and reproducible, and has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of total iron in freshwater samples by adding ascorbic acid to reduce iron(III).     

Spectrophotometric determination of rhenium with di(2-pyridyl)ketone-2-furancarbothiohydrazone and other thiohydrazones

A simple rapid method is proposed for the determination of rhenium (as perrhenate) in which the brown-violet complex produced is measured at 546 nm. The system obeys Beer's law in the range 0.7–14.0 μg Re ml^-1; the molar absorptivity is 1.51 × 10⁴ l mol^-1 cm^-1 in ethanol and 1.64 × 10⁴ l mol^-1 cm^-1 for the complex extracted into methyl isobutyl ketone. Molybdenum (100-fold), tungsten (40-fold), copper (10-fold), and palladium (10-fold) are tolerable. Reactions of other metal ions such as Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Fe(II) with this ligand and reactions of perrhenate with analogous reagents are discussed.     

Tropoloae as a specific reagent for the determination of vanadium(V)

The blue colour developed on interaction of vanadium(V) with tropolone m 5.5-7.0N acid can be extracted into chloroform. The complex has an absorption maximum at 590 nm. Colour development is instantaneous and the extracted species is stable for 72 hr. Beer's law is followed in the range 1.02-14.25 ppm of vanadium. The molar absorptivity is 4.63 x 10(3)l.mole(-1).cm(-1). Most anions do not interfere. Of the 37 cations examined, only Ti(III), Ru(III), Pt(IV), Ir(IV), Mn(II), Ta(V) and Ce(III) were found to interfere. The interference due to these cations has been removed by masking them with EDTA.     

A spectrometric,separation and voltammetric study of the complexation reactions of bromazepam with iron(ii),copper(ii) and cobalt(ii)

Bromazepam, in the form of a cationic iron(II) chelate, can be determined spectrophotometrically at 588 nm with a limit of detection of ca. 10^-6 M. When this chelate is ion-paired with perchlorate, it can be extracted into organic solvents such as 1,2-dichloroethane and 4-methyl-2-pentanone, and determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with a limit of detection of 1.5 × 10^-5 M bromazepam at the iron resonance 248.3-nm line. Ion-pairs involving the Fe(II), Cu(II) and Co(II) chelates and perchlorate can be separated by h.p.l.c. using a C₁₈ reverse-phase column and a mobile phase of 4:1 water—methanol, with a u.v. detector at 242 nm. This approach allowed for the determination of iron(II) ions in aqueous solution with a limit of detection of 10^-8 M. The h.p.l.c. method could also be used to quantify bromazepam spiked in plasma in the concentration range 1–10 μg ml^-1, following extraction of bromazepam from plasma and subsequent formation of the iron(II) ion-pair. Copper(II) forms a labile chelate with bromazepam in pH 4.8 acetate buffer which, when subjected to differential pulse voltammetry at the hanging mercury drop electrode, gives rise to a catalytic phenomenon which can be utilised for the determination of bromazepam in the concentration range 10^-5–10^-9 M.     

Speciation analysis of mercury and lead in fish samples using liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (LC-ICP-MS) method for lead and mercury speciation analysis was described. Sample containing ionic lead and mercury compounds was subjected to liquid chromatographic separation before injection into the direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (DIHEN, 170-AA). The species studied include inorganic lead (Pb(II)), trimethyl lead (trimethyl-Pb), triethyl lead (triethyl-Pb), inorganic mercury (Hg(II)), methyl mercury (methyl-Hg) and ethyl mercury (ethyl-Hg), which were well separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with a C18 column as the stationary phase and a pH 2.8 solution of 0.2% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol, 1 mg L(-1) ETDA, 174.2 mg L(-1) sodium 1-pentanesulfonate and 12% (v/v) methanol as the mobile phase. The lead and mercury species in biological tissues were quantitatively extracted, into 10 g L(-1) EDTA and 0.2% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol solution taken in a closed centrifuge tube and kept on water bath, using microwaves at 65 degrees C for 2 min. The spike recovery of individual lead and mercury species determined by spiking the samples with suitable concentration of lead and mercury mixture standard were between 93% and 99%. The detection limits of the species studied were in the range 0.1-0.3 microg Pb L(-1) and 0.2-0.3 microg Hg L(-1). The procedure has been applied for the speciation analysis of two reference samples namely NRCC DOLT-3 Dogfish Liver and DORM-2 Dogfish Muscle and a swordfish sample obtained locally. The sum of the concentrations of individual species has been compared with the certified values for total lead and mercury to verify the accuracy of the method. The precision between sample replicates was better than 10% with LC-DIHEN-ICP-MS method.     

Solvent extraction of copper(II) with chlorendic acid

The solvent extraction of Cu(II) with chlorendic acid has been studied The composition of the extracted species appears to be a function of pH. In the pH range 3.2-4.6, a monomeric species exists [Cu(II)(L(2-)], while at pH values greater than 4.5, a dimer in the form of [Cu(II)(L(2-)). H(2)L](2) and/or [Cu(II)(HL(-))(2)](2) is extracted.     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of cobalt using Cyanex-272

Cyanex-272 forms a blue-colored complex with Co(II) in the organic phase. The complex shows three absorption maxima. The peak at 635 nm has been used for developing a spectrophotometric procedure for cobalt determination. Beer's law was found to be obeyed in the range 0.295-2.36 mg of cobalt. The nature of the extracted species was found to be CoR(2).HR. The molar absorptivity was found to be 3.07 x 10(2) l. mol(-1). cm(-1) at 635 nm. The method was applied for cobalt determination in solutions obtained from Beta Cake and a super alloy and was found to give values close to the actual ones. Easy regeneration of the reagent (Cyanex-272) for re-use is the main advantage of the present method.     

Flow injection spectrophotometric analysis of lead in human saliva for monitoring environmental pollution

A new highly sensitive, simple and low-cost methodology for the direct determination of Pb (II) with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminophenol in ethanolic medium has been developed. The absorption spectroscopy of the complex has been examined in detail, and the chemical variables affecting the sensitivity of procedure studied, optimized and applied to the determination of trace amounts of lead in human saliva. Under the optimal experimental conditions, a precision of 1.61x10(-4) mug cm(-2) was achieved, the molar absorptivity being (epsilon) 5.6x10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1). An FI technique is proposed, and it is possible to determine trace levels of lead by injection into a steam buffered at pH 7.15, containing 70% ethanol: 30% Tris buffer 3.5x10(-3) mol l(-1) (pH=7.2), 1x10(-4) mol l(-1) 5-BrDMPAP. The FIA configuration allows the analysis of 45 samples per hour. The lower limit of detection (LOD) was 1x10(-7) mol l(-1). The calibration plot was linear at least within two orders of magnitude of lead concentration. The use of an HPLC pump for the FI analysis led to a substantial improvement in the analytical performance of the method, which clearly satisfies the typical requirements for control processes.     

2-(8-quinolylazo)-4,5-diphenylimidazole — a sensitive extraction spectrophotometric reagent for mercury

Mercury(II) reacts with 2-(8-quinolylazo)-4,5-diphenylimidazole in aqueous solution; the complex can be extracted with chloroform or 1,2-dichloroethane at pH 4.5–9.5 to give a stable reddish-purple solution. The system conforms to Beer's law; the optimal range in chloroform is 0.05–2 ppm mercury (1-cm cells). Of 25 metal ions investigated, only copper and vanadium interfere seriously. The proposed method is exceptionally sensitive; the molar absorptivity in the chloroform extract is 7.3 × 10⁴ l mol^?1 cm^?1 at 580 nm; the Sandell sensitivity is 0.0027μg Hg cm^?2.     

The extractive spectrophotometric determination of palladium(ii) as the mixed-ligand complex with picolinealdehyde-2-hydroxy-5-phenylanil and chloride ion

The extraction of palladium(II) with chloroform in the presence of PHPA and chloride ions is described. The extracted species has an absorption maximum at 627 nm, and Beer's law is obeyed over the range 10–200 μg of palladium. The molar absorptivity is 4.90·10³ l mol^?1 cm^?1 at 627 nm. The 1:1:1 Pd(PHPA)-Cl complex is extracted from aqueous solution. The effect of foreign ions on the determination of palladium(II) is examined.