Determination of silver(I) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after separation/preconcentration using modified magnetite nanoparticles

A new, simple, fast and reliable method has been developed for the separation/preconcentration of trace amounts of silver ions using 2-mercaptobenzothiazole/sodium dodecyl sulfate immobilized on alumina-coated magnetite nanoparticles (MBT/SDS-ACMNPs) and their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Optimal experimental conditions, including pH, sample volume, eluent concentration and volume, and co-existing ions, have been studied and established. Under optimal experimental conditions, the enrichment factor, detection limit, linear range and relative standard deviation (RSD) of Ag(I) ions were 250 (for 500 mL of sample solution), 0.56 ng mL−1, 2.0–100.0 ng mL−1 and 3.1% (for 5.0 μg mL−1, n=10n=10), respectively. The presented procedure was successfully applied for determination of silver content in the different samples of water.