Pre-concentration of trace metals from sea-water for determination by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry

Determination of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn, Co, Cr and Ni in coastal sea-water by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry after preconcentration by solvent extraction and use of a chelating ion-exchange resin is described. Following the extraction of the pyrrolidine-N-carbodithioate and oxinate complexes into methyl isobutyl ketone, the trace metals are further preconcentrated by back-extraction into 1.5M nitric acid. Preconcentration on the chelating resin is effected by a combined column and batch technique, allowing greater preconcentration factors to be obtained. Provided samples are appropriately treated to release non-labile metal species prior to preconcentration, both methods yield comparable analytical results with respect to the mean concentrations determined as well as to mean relative standard deviations. Control and treatment of the analytical blank is also described.