Simultaneous determination of metal ions as complexes of pentamethylene dithiocarbamate in Indus river water, Pakistan

River water samples before and after mixing with industrial effluents were collected at an interval of 4 weeks for one year and analyzed for simultaneous determination of Fe3+, Cr3+, Mn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+and Co2+ after preconcentration using pentamethylene dithiocarbamate (PMDTC) as derivatizing reagent and subsequent solvent extraction by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The average levels (n = 12) of metal ions were found in the range of 14.2–542 μg/L. The results were then compared with a standard flame atomic absorption spectrophotometric method revealed no significant differences.