Determination of thallium at ultra-trace levels in water and biological samples using solid phase spectrophotometry

A new simple, very sensitive, selective and accurate procedure for the determination of trace amounts of thallium(III) by solid-phase spectrophotometry (SPS) has been developed. The procedure is based on fixation of Tl(III) as quinalizarin ion associate on a styrene–divinylbenzene anion-exchange resin. The absorbance of resin sorbed Tl(III) ion associate is measured directly at 636 and 830 nm. Thallium(I) was determined by difference measurements after oxidation of Tl(I) to Tl(III) with bromine. Calibration is linear over the range 0.5–12.0 μg L−1 of Tl(III) with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.40% (n = 10). The detection and quantification limits are 150 and 495 ng L−1 using 0.6 g of the exchanger. The molar absorptivity and Sandell sensitivity are also calculated and found to be 1.31 × 107 L mol−1 cm−1 and 0.00156 ng cm−2, respectively. The proposed procedure has been successfully applied to determine thallium in water, urine and serum samples.

Graphical abstractThe procedure is based on fixation of Tl(III) as quinalizarin ion associate on a styrene–divinylbenzene anion-exchange resin. The absorbance of resin sorbed Tl(III) ion associate is measured directly at 636 and 830 nm. Thallium(I) was determined by difference measurements after oxidation of Tl(I) to Tl(III) with bromine. Calibration is linear over the range 0.5–12.0 μg L−1 of Tl(III) with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.40% (n = 10). The detection and quantification limits are 150 and 495 ng L−1 using 0.6 g of the exchanger. The proposed procedure has been successfully applied to determine thallium in water, urine and serum samples.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Sensitive procedure to determine trace amounts of Tl(III) by SPS has been developed. ► The procedure is based on fixation of Tl(III) as ion associate on anion-exchange resin. ► The absorbance of resin sorbed Tl(III) ion associate is measured directly at 636 and 830 nm. ► The procedure has been successfully applied to determine Tl(III) in real samples.