Trace elements determination in high salinity petroleum produced formation water by high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after matrix separation using Chelex-100® resin

This study describes a procedure used for the determination of trace metals (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb) in high salinity petroleum produced formation water (PFW) employing high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for detection and Chelex-100® resin for matrix elimination and analytes preconcentration. Using 15.0 mL of PFW for the separation/preconcentration, detection limits of 0.006, 0.07, 0.03, 0.08 and 0.02 μg L− 1 were obtained for Co, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by analyzing three seawater certified reference materials and by recovery tests, and the data indicate that the methodology can be successfully applied to this kind of samples. The precision values, expressed as relative standard deviation (% RSD, n = 10) for 2.0 μg L– 1, were found to be 3.5, 4.0, 9.0, 5.3 and 5.9 for Co, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb, respectively. The proposed procedure was applied for the determination of these metals in medium and high salinity PFW samples obtained from Brazilian offshore petroleum exploration platforms.

► Petroleum-produced formation water were analyzed for Co, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb determination.
► In batch analyte preconcentration/matrix separation using Chelex-100® was used.
► Detection limits between 0.006 and 0.08 μg L− 1 were found by using HR-CS-GFAAS.
► Trace elements characterization is possible using the developed method.
► Maximum trace element concentrations found could support future Brazilian directives.