Preconcentration of Cd(II) and Cu(II) by solid phase extraction on cyanopropyl modified silica columns using 1,10-phenanthroline as the complexing agent

We describe the solid-phase extraction for the preconcentration and determination of Cd(II) and Cu(II) aqueous samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The preconcentration of analytes is accomplished by retention of their chelates with 1,10-phenanthroline in aqueous solution on a solid phase containing cyanopropylsilane bonded to silica gel in a column. The preconcentration factor is 80 for the cadmium ions and 120 for the copper ions with relative standard deviations of between 0.5 and 1.5%. The limits of detection (defined as “3 s” where “s” is the standard deviation of the blank determination) are 0.18 and 0.073 µg L−1 for Cd(II) and Cu(II), respectively, and the corresponding limits of quantification (6 s) are 0.36 and 0.15 µg L−1, respectively. As a result, a simple method was created for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of the metals in reference material and in plant sample material.