Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Cu(II), Mn(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) in Water Samples with Pulverized Silica-salen(NEt2)2

The use of chemically modified silica-salen (NEt₂)₂ was studied for the separation and concentration of the metal ions from an aqueous solution by a solid phase extraction. After the salen(NEt2)2 was synthesized, it was chemically bonded to silica gel by a diazonium coupling reaction. The adsorption capacities and binding constants were obtained with respect to Cu(II), Mn(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) by a graphical method. Some experimental conditions were optimized for the determination of the trace elements. After the silica-salen(NEt2)2 was pulverized in a sample solution of which the pH was adjusted, the solution was stirred to pre-concentrate the metal ions. The metal ions adsorbed were desorbed with nitric acid solution. And the concentrated analytes were determined by a flame AAS. The method proposed here was so rarely influenced by a sample matrix that the procedure was applied to 3 types of water samples. The reproducible results of less than 10% RSD were obtained at the concentration level of ca. 100 ng/mL and the recoveries of 95-109% were obtained in the spiked samples in which given amounts of analytes were added.