ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Gold and silver determination in Waters by SPHERON® Thiol 1000 preconcentration and ETAAS

J. Medveď, P. Matúš, M. Bujdoš, and J. Kubová

Geological Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, SK-842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: medvedj@fns.uniba.sk

Received: 19 January 2005  Revised: 8 July 2005  Accepted: 15 July 2005

Abstract: A reliable procedure for the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) determination of gold and silver in waters at trace level is described. The method is based on prior separation and preconcentration of the metals using a chelating sorbent SPHERON® Thiol 1000 after acidification of water samples (pH < 3) with nitric acid. Optimization of analytical variables during enrichment and ETAAS determination of the metals are discussed. The accuracy of the method is verified by analysis of certified reference materials. The limits of determinations based on 10 σ definition were 0.005 ng cm⁻³ for Au and 0.02 ng cm⁻³ for Ag. Precision of studied elements determination expressed by relative standard deviation varied in the range from 2.9 % to 16.4 %.

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-006-0005-0

Chemical Papers 60 (1) 27–31 (2006)