A solvent extraction-atomic absorption technique for the simultaneous determination of low concentrations of iron, nickel, chromium and manganese in drinking water

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 38; no. 2; p. 175
• Main Authors: Babu, D R, Naidu, P R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.02.1991
• ISSN: 0039-9140
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-9140(91)80126-k

A simple and rapid method has been developed for the extraction of Fe, Ni, Cr and Mn in drinking water samples with a new reagent, pentamethylene dithiocarbamate, into methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and their subsequent determination by atomic-absorption spectrometry. The extraction has been carried out at a high aqueous: organic phase ratio to achieve a 35-fold preconcentration factor. Extraction parameters and interference factors are discussed. The precision based on replicate analyses is between 3 and 10% for a concentration range of 2-250 microg/l. of the four metals. The detection limits (3sigma) for Fe, Ni, Cr and Mn are 0.30, 0.36, 0.40 and 0.22 microg/l., respectively, corresponding to a metal concentration of 0.50 microg/l.