Determination of iron in water by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with sorption preconcentration

Abstract

Determination and monitoring of pollutants in the natural environment is an urgent task because of their impact on living organisms as a result of numerous anthropogenic impacts. For this reason, a large number of publications are devoted to the development, modification or optimization of analytical methods that can solve these problems. When determining trace elements present in various samples, such as natural and waste water, biological samples and alloy samples, direct determination by various instrumental methods is often impossible due to the matrix effect and rather low concentration of metal ions in the sample. The atomic absorption method is one of the methods widely used for the determination of iron ions, which has such advantages as simplified sample preparation, low probability of contamination and loss of elements, increased analytical productivity, the detection limit of components in the analyzed mixture reduced by several orders of magnitude, and the ability to determine trace amounts of elements in small samples. The aim of the study was to develop a technique for the preliminary concentration of Fe (III) ions in waters of various origins using a sorbent immobilized with sulfosalicylic acid and their further determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Sorbents obtained on the basis of polyacrylonitrile modified with polyethylene polyamine (PPF-1 and PPA-1) with sulfosalicylic acid immobilized on their surface were used for selective sorption of Fe (III) ions. Optimal conditions for the immobilization of sulfosalicylic acid on sorbents and the formation of complexes with Fe (III) ions were studied. The developed sorption-atomic absorption technique provided determination of low concentrations of Fe (III) ions in various waters. The use of PPF-1 as a sorbent with immobilized sulfosalicylic acid for pre-concentration of iron has a number of advantages compared to traditional atomic absorption procedure, i.e., the simplicity, high degree of iron extraction, high sensitivity and selectivity of iron determination, as well as a low cost. The detection limit of iron ions is 0.01 μg/L, Sr does not exceed 0.033.