Speciation analysis of thallium using electrothermal AAS following on-line pre-concentration in a microcolumn filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes

RAÚL A. GIL, PABLO H. PACHECO, PATRICIA SMICHOWSKI, ROBERTO A. OLSINA AND LUIS D. MARTINEZ

MIKROCHIMICA ACTA

SPRINGER WIEN

Año: 2009 p. 187 - 193

0026-3672

The enrichment ability of carbon nanotubes(CNTs) was investigated and a new method established forthe determination of trace thallium species in environmentalsamples using electrothermal atomization-atomic absorptionspectrometry (ETAAS). The CNTs were employed as sorbentsubstrate in a continuous flow system coupled to ETAAS.Parameters influencing the recoveries of thallium wereoptimized. Under optimal conditions, the detection limit andprecision of the method were 0.009 μg L−1 and 3.9%,respectively. The method was applied to the determination ofthallium in real environmental samples and the recoverieswere in the range from 96 to 100%. This system was able toseparate thallium (I) from the matrix, which allowed itsselective determination. The total thallium content was thendetermined by reducing Tl(III) with hydroxylamine. Allthese experimental results indicated that this new procedurecan be applied to the determination of trace thallium indrinking water samples.