Determination of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after cloud point extraction

Cloud point extraction (CPE) has been used for the simultaneous pre-concentration of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc after the formation of a complex with 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN), and later analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) using octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114) as surfactant. The chemical variables affecting the separation phase and the viscosity affecting the detection process were optimized. At pH 8.6, pre-concentration of only 50 ml of sample in the presence of 0.05% Triton X-114 and 2×10^?5 mol l^?1 TAN permitted the detection of 0.099, 0.27, 1.1 and 0.095 ng ml^?1 cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, respectively. The enhancement factors were 57.7, 64.3, 55.6 and 63.7 for cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, respectively. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in water samples and a standard reference material (SRM).