Solid Phase Extraction of Lead(II) by Sorption on Grinded Eucalyptus Stem and Determination with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A sensitive and simple solid-phase preconcentration procedure for the determination of trace amount of lead by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) is developed. The method is based on the adsorption of Pb(2+) on the column of fine grinded eucalyptus stem adsorbent, elution of the column by nitric acid and subsequent determination by FAAS. The effect of different variables such as pH, eluent type, flow rate and interfering ions on the recovery of the analyte was investigated and optimum conditions were established. The adsorption of lead onto fine grinded eucalyptus stem can formally be described by a Langmuir equation with a maximum adsorption capacity of 4.49 mg g(-1). A preconcentration factor of 50 was achieved using the optimum conditions. The calibration graph was linear in the range 10-125 ng mL(-1) of lead in the initial solution with r = 0.9982. The limit of detection based on 3S(b) criterion was 4.5 ng mL(-1) and the relative standard deviation for eight replicate measurements of 30 and 80 ng mL(-1) of iron was 3.6 and 2.8%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of lead added to well, tap and wastewater samples.