Simultaneous ICP-OES determination of trace metals in water and food samples after their preconcentration on silica gel functionalized with N-(2-aminoethyl)-2,3-dihydroxybenzaldimine

• Silica gel was functionalized with N-(2-aminoethyl)-2,3-dihydroxybenzaldimine for solid phase extraction of trace elements.
• Proposed technique is simple, low cost, good accuracy, high preconcentration factor, low detection limit and environmentally friendly.
• This study allows separation and preconcentration at μg L−1 level of trace elements.
• Simultaneous determination of Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) in water and food samples using ICP-OES.

Silica gel was functionalized with N-(2-aminoethyl)-2,3-dihydroxybenzaldimine group (AEDHB-SG) and characterized by elemental analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. Preconcentration conditions of Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) were investigated on the AEDHB-SG loaded column using a solid phase extraction technique. The effects of parameters such as the pH, sample volume, flow rates, matrix ions were examined. Adsorption capacity of AEDHB-SG for Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) was 0.40, 0.56, 0.50 and 0.23 mmol g−1. The accuracy of the developed method was confirmed by certified reference materials. Optimized method was applied to water and food samples for the determination of trace metals using ICP-OES.

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