Analytical Sciences

Controlled-pore Silica Glass Modifiedwith N-Propylsalicylaldimine for the Separation and Preconcentrationof Trace Al(III), Ag(I) and Hg(II) in Water Samples

Gamal A. E. MOSTAFA,*¹Mohamed M. HASSANIEN,*² Khaled S.ABOU-EL-SHERBINI,*³  and VolkerGÖRLITZ*⁴

*1 Microanalytical Laboratory, Departmentof Applied Organic Chemistry, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo,Egypt
*2 Department of Chemistry, Industrial Education College,Beni-Suef, Egypt
*3 Department of Inorganic Chemistry, National ResearchCentre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
*4 Chemisch-Analytische Dienste,Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig, Braunschweig,Germany

Controlled-pore silica glass modified withN-propylsalicylaldimine (SCPSG) has been investigated as asurface-active matrix for the separation of some metal ions. The poroussilica glass base was confirmed to have better stability towards hydrolysisin aqueous solution buffered at pH = 9 in comparison to silica gel, whichshowed twice the surface area of controlled-pore silica glass. Thedifferent analytical parameters affecting the batch mode separation andpreconcentration of trace Al(III), Ag(I) and Hg(II) in environmentalsamples using SCPSG, prior to their determination using inductively coupledplasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), were studied. The optimum conditionsare pH 9.0 ± 0.1, time of stirring 30 min and the eluentconcentration 0.5 mol dm^-3 HNO₃. The ion-exchangecapacity of SCPSG with respect to Al(III), Ag(I) and Hg(II) was 0.27, 0.18and 0.23 mmol g^-1, respectively. The recovery values for themetal ions were 96.8 ± 0.86, 98.1 ± 0.60 and 96.2 ±1.06%, and the analytical detection limits were 26.1, 1.49 and 0.44 pgcm^-3, respectively, for a preconcentration factor of 100. Themethod has been applied to the determination of the investigated metal ionsin natural water samples as well as certified and reported samples and theresults were found to be accurate.

J-STAGE: View this article in J-STAGE