Graphene-based solid-phase extraction combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry for a sensitive determination of trace amounts of lead in environmental water and vegetable samples

Graphene, a novel class of carbon nanostructures, has great promise for use as sorbent materials because of its ultrahigh specific surface area. A new method using a column packed with graphene as sorbent was developed for the preconcentration of trace amounts of lead (Pb) using dithizone as chelating reagent prior to its determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Some effective parameters on the extraction and complex formation were selected and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the concentration range of 10.0–600.0 μg L−1 with a detection limit of 0.61 μg L−1. The relative standard deviation for ten replicate measurements of 20.0 and 400.0 μg L−1 of Pb were 3.56 and 3.25%, respectively. Comparative studies showed that graphene is superior to other adsorbents including C18 silica, graphitic carbon, and single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the extraction of Pb. The proposed method was successfully applied in the analysis of environmental water and vegetable samples. Good spiked recoveries over the range of 95.3–100.4% were obtained. This work not only proposes a useful method for sample preconcentration, but also reveals the great potential of graphene as an excellent sorbent material in analytical processes.

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► Graphene as a novel sorbent material in a column for solid-phase extraction (SPE).
► SPE for the determination of lead (Pb) in environment water samples and vegetable samples.
► The system can be reused for many times.
► The adsorption capacity of graphene over many other adsorbents.
► Graphene has great potentials as an excellent sorbent material.