Cloud point extraction with/without chelating agent on-line coupled with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for the determination of trace rare earth elements in biological samples

The on-line incorporation of cloud point extraction (CPE) with/without 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-Ox) as chelating agent into flow injection analysis associated with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for determining trace rare earth elements (REEs) is presented and evaluated. The significant parameters affecting on-line cloud point extraction of REEs such as sample pH, flow rate, 8-Ox concentration, Triton X-114 concentration were systematically studied. Under the optimized conditions, with the consumption of 3.0 mL sample solution, the limits of detection (3σ) were ranged from 41.4 pg mL−1 (Yb) to 448 pg mL−1 (Gd) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.0% (Eu)-5.9% (Sm) for on-line CPE-ICP-OES with 8-Ox as chelating agent, and 69.0 pg mL−1 (Sc) to 509.5 pg mL−1 (Sm) with RSDs of 2.9% (Yb)-7.5% (Ho) for on-line CPE-ICP-OES without 8-Ox as chelating agent, respectively. The sample throughput of 17 samples h−1 was obtained for both systems. The developed methods of on-line CPE-ICP-OES were validated by the analysis of certified reference material (GBW07605, tea leaves) and real biological samples of pig liver, Auricularia auricula and mushroom.