[Back]

S. Hossein-Zadegan, W. Nischkauer, M.-A. Néouze, A. Limbeck:
"Improved Analysis of Trace Elements in Environmental Samples using Sulfonated Polystyrene Microparticles in Combination with ETV-ICP-OES Analysis";
Poster: 5^th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress, Istanbul, Turkey; 2014-08-31 - 2014-09-04; in: "5th EuCheMS Chemical Congress - Abstracts", (2014), 559 pages.

Polystyrene particles have found many applications in different fields of science including biology, pharmacology and chemistry due to their unique characteristics such as ideal mechanical strength, adjustable particle size, and favorable chemical stability. Moreover, they can be easily functionalized and these reactive end chains act as an adsorbent for metal ions.
In this contribution, such kind of non-metallic adsorbent is combined with dispersed particle extraction (DPE) for the first time. DPE is an improved solid phase extraction (SPE) based method and has been previously used by our group as an enrichment and matrix separation method for multiply charged cations, prior to ICP-OES analysis. The silica based nanoparticles used as sorbent material in the previous works are well suited for liquid slurry analysis, but in the case of analysis with electro thermal vaporization (ETV), the use of nanoparticles with considerable thermal stability (silica) might result in contamination of the ETV system, or may cause problems during analysis, respectively.
In order to avoid these drawbacks, we present a new method for trace metal enrichment prior to ETV-ICP-OES analysis. Amphiphilic solfunated polystyrene/polystyrene (SPS/PS) microparticles were synthesized using seed microsphere with a strong hydrophilic surface. These particles were successively suspended into the pH-adjusted liquid samples containing analytes at controlled pH (ammonium buffer system). After separation of the analyte containing particles by centrifugation, the slurry was introduced into the ETV. The polymeric particle cores can be vaporized easily and allow for a straight-forward quantification of remaining REEs via ICP-OES.
In comparison to liquid sample introduction, application of ETV further improves the enrichment factor of the DPE procedure, as it is possible to reduce the final volume obtained after DPE sample pre-treatment to a few microliters. Thermal separation of the organic sorbent particles prior to analyte measurement is another benefit reducing the possibility of matrix induced interferences.

ETV-ICP-OES, poystyrene microparticles, trace metal analysis

Project Head Andreas Limbeck:
Nanoparticles for improved trace metal analysis