Isolation and preconcentration of Cd(II) from environmental samples using polypropylene porous membrane in a hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane extraction procedure and determination by FAAS

The use of polypropylene porous membrane in a hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane (HFRLM) procedure for determination of Cd(II) in water samples was assessed. Ammonium O,O-diethyl dithiophosphate (DDTP) was used to complex cadmium (II) in an acid medium to obtain a neutral hydrophobic complex. The organic solvent introduced to the sample extracts this complex from the aqueous solution and carries it over the polypropylene membrane porous. The organic solvent is immobilized inside the polypropylene membrane porous, leading to an homogeneous phase. The complex strips the lumen of the membrane where, at higher pH, the complex Cd-DDTP is broken down and Cd(II) is released into the stripping phase. EDTA was used to complex the cadmium (II), helping to trap the analyte in the stripping phase. The optimized variables were: sample pH, DDTP concentration, stripping pH, EDTA concentration, extraction temperature and time, extractor solvent and addition of salt to saturate the sample. The sample volume used was 15 mL and the stripping volume was 165 μL. The analyte enrichment factor was 107, limit of detection 1.5 μg L−1, relative standard deviation 4.0% (15 μg L−1, n = 7) and the working linear range 5-30 μg L−1.