Solid phase extraction and determination of lead in soil and water samples using octadecyl silica membrane disks modified by bis[1-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-2-methyl]sulfide and flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

A simple, reliable and relatively fast method has been developed to selectively separate and concentrate trace amounts of lead from aqueous samples for the measurement by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. By the passage of aqueous samples through an octadecyl-bonded silica membrane disk modified by a recently synthesized bis(anthraquinone)sulfide, Pb(2+) ions adsorb quantitatively and almost all matrix elements will pass through the disk to drain. The retained lead ions are then stripped from the disk by minimal amount of acetic acid as eluent. The proposed method permitted large enrichment factors of about 300 and higher. The limit of detection of the proposed method is 50 ng Pb(2+) per 1000 ml. The effects of various cationic interferences on the recovery of lead in binary mixtures were studied. The method was successfully applied to the determination of lead in soil and water samples.