Determination of copper at trace levels in fennel tea samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after the implementation of simultaneous complexation and supramolecular solvent based spraying assisted liquid phase microextraction

Abstract

A simple and efficient preconcentration method named as supramolecular solvent based spraying assisted liquid phase microextraction (SUPRAS-SA-LPME) was combined with a flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for the determination of copper in fennel tea samples at trace levels. An alkanol (1-decanol)/THF based SUPRAS (containing complexation agent) was used as extraction solvent instead of traditional organic solvents for the first time in an SA-LPME process. Under the optimum conditions, system analytical performance of the developed method was evaluated, and limit of detection (LOD)/limit of quantitation (LOQ) values were recorded as 1.91/6.37 µg kg^–1. After the evaluation of system analytical performances, the enhancement in detection power/calibration sensitivity was found to be 21.3/21.8 folds when the comparison of LOD values/calibration plot slopes of the FAAS and SUPRAS-SA-LPME-FAAS systems. The method applicability was tested for the fennel tea samples by spiking experiments, and acceptable recovery results (80.2 % – 111.8 %) were obtained for low, mid and high spiked concentration levels.