Solid phase extraction of heavy metals on chemically modified silica-gel with 2-(3-silylpropylimino) methyl)-5-bromophenol in food samples

Trace amounts of Fe3+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Zn2+ ions were efficiently enriched following complexation with silica-gel chemically functionalized with 2-((3-silylpropylimino)methyl)-5-bromophenol. The enriched metal ions efficiently eluted with 6 mL of 4.0 mol L−1 nitric acid and their metal contents were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The influences of the analytical parameters and experimental variables on the recoveries of the metal ions under study were investigated and optimized. The method has high sorption preconcentration efficiency even in the presence of various interfering ions. At optimum values of all variables the method is applicable for analysis of real samples with recoveries in the range of 95 to 105% with RSD lower than 4.2% and detection limits between 1.4 and 2.8 µg L−1.