Simultaneous preconcentration of copper and mercury in water samples by cloud point extraction and their determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

A cloud-point extraction process coupled to ICP-OES by using 3-nitro benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-NBT) as complexing agent was developed for the simultaneous preconcentration and determination of copper and mercury in water samples. The variables affecting the complexation and extraction steps were optimized. Under the optimum conditions (i.e. 1.5×10(-5) mol L(-1) ligand, 0.3% (v/v) Triton X-114, 55 °C equilibrium temperature, incubation time of 30 min) the calibration graphs were linear in the range of 5-120 and 10-100 ng mL(-1) with enhancement factor of 82.7 and 51.3 for Cu(2+) and Hg(2+), respectively. The preconcentration factors were 28.6 in both cases and detection limits were obtained 0.48 for Cu and 1.1 ng mL(-1) for Hg. The precisions (R.S.D.%) for five replicate determinations at 50 ng mL(-1) of copper and mercury were better than 1.8% and 3.2%, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed method is validated by analyzing a certified reference material of water (RTC-QCI-049) with satisfactory results. Finally, the proposed method was utilized successfully for the determination of copper and mercury in surface water (river), tap water and bottled mineral water samples.

A selective optical sensor for beryllium determination based on incorporating of 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone in a poly (vinyl chloride) membrane.

A new optical sensor was fabricated for determination of beryllium ions. The optode membrane was prepared by incorporation of 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in a plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) membrane containing ortho-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE) as a plasticizer. Color of the sensing membrane in contact with Be(2+) ions at pH 10.5, was changed from orange to red. The different variables affecting uptake efficiency were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions (i.e. 28.0% PVC, 60.0% o-NPOE, 8.0% 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone, 4.0% NaTPB and response time of 6 min), the proposed sensor displayed a linear range of 0.1-5 µg mL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.03 µg mL(-1). Also the precision (RSD%) was better than 2.9% for 7 replicate determinations of 1 µg mL(-1) Be in various membranes. The selectivity of the probe was studied for some cations and anions. Experimental results showed that the sensor was high selective in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a masking agent and could be used as an effective tool in analyzing the beryllium content of water samples.