Selective solid phase extraction and preconcentration of iron(III) based on silica gel-chemically immobilized purpurogallin

The immobilization of purpurogallin on the surface of amino group containing silica gel phase for the formation of a newly synthesized silica gel-bound purpurogallin (SGBP) is described. The surface modification was studied and evaluated by determination of the surface coverage value by both the elemental analysis and metal probe testing method, which was found to be 0.485 and 0.460 mmol g⁻¹, respectively. The metal sorption properties of SGBP were examined by a series of di- and tri-valent metal ions. The metal capacity values (mmol g⁻¹) for this series of metal ions were also determined under different buffer solutions (pH 1.0–6.0) as well as shaking times by the batch equilibrium technique. The results of this study confirmed the strong affinity and selectivity as well as the fast equilibration and interaction processes of SGBP and Fe(III) compared to the other tested metal ions. The reduction–oxidation process of iron(II)/iron(III) by SGBP was also studied and the results indicated only 2.1% reduction of iron(III) into iron(II). The selectivity incorporated into silica gel phase via the immobilization of purpurogallin was intensively studied for a several binary mixtures containing iron(III)—another interfering metal ion. The determined percentage extraction values of iron(III) from these mixtures were found to be in the range of 94–100%. The potential applications of SGBP as a selective solid extractor for iron(III) from natural tap water samples and real matrices were also studied and the results revealed good percentage extraction values of iron(III) (93.5−94.9±4.6−5.3%) of the spiked iron(III) in the acidified tap water samples as well as a high preconcentration factor of 500 was also established when SGBP was used as a selective solid phase extractor and preconcentration of iron(III) from acidified soft drink samples with percentage recovery values of (98.0−97.4±4.7−5.3%) of the spiked iron(III).