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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