Abstract

Activated carbons modified as a tool for separation and pre-concentration in heavy metals analysis

Author(s): Farshid Ahmadi, Azadeh Khanmohammadi

A sensitive, simple and relatively fast methods has been developed to selectively separate and concentrate trace amounts of heavy metal ions from aqueous samples for the measurement by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is based on the adsorption of Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ on 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (AMTD) loaded on activated carbon. The metals content on the complexes are eluted using 6ml 4MHNO3. The detection limits by three sigma for analyte ionswere 1.6g l-1, 1.8g l-1, 1.3g l-1 , 1.7g l-1, 1.6g l-1 and 1.7g l-1 using AMTD for Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Ni2+ and Cd2+, respectively. The presented procedure was applied to the determination of analytes in vegetable samples and different water samples with successfully results (recoveries greater than 97%, R.S.D.’s lower than 1.8%for n=3).