Separation preconcentration method for platinum and rhodium from environmental samples using a chelating resin

A method of determining trace levels of platinum and rhodium in different samples was investigated. The method involves separation and preconcentration of the platinum and rhodium from the matrix by flow injection (FI) on-line coupled with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) with Zeeman effect background correction. Platinum and rhodium were adsorbed on a microcolumn packed with 1,5-bis(di-2-pyridyl)methylene thiocarbohydrazide immobilized on silica gel (DPTH-gel). The sorbed metals were directly eluted with nitric acid into the graphite furnace and determined by AAS.