Preconcentration and trace determination of cadmium in spinach and various water samples by temperature-controlled ionic liquid dispersive liquid phase microextraction.

A sensitive and selective method for the preconcentration and separation of sub µg L-1 levels of cadmium ions in aqueous solutions with high salt contents is described. The developed method is based on temperature-controlled ionic liquid dispersive liquid phase microextraction of cadmium using the 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (ionic liquid (IL)) as an extractant followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry determination. The extraction of cadmium ions from the aqueous solution into the fine droplets of IL was performed with dithizone as the chelating agent. Some predominant factors affecting the preconcentration of cadmium ions were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graph was linear over the concentration range from 0.6-20.0 µg L-1 of cadmium and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.2 µg L-1. The enrichment factor was found to be 25. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of cadmium in spinach and water samples.