Coupling sequential injection on-line preconcentration by means of a renewable microcolumn with ion-exchange beads with detection by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Comparing the performance of eluting the loaded beads with transporting them directly into the graphite tube, as demonstrated for the determination of nickel in environmental and biological samples.

The design of a flow injection/sequential injection (FIA/SIA) on-line preconcentration system incorporating a renewable microcolumn with ion-exchange beads and interfaced with an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) detector is described, and its practical applicability is demonstrated for the determination of trace level concentrations of nickel. The column is loaded with a defined volume of SP Sephadex C-25 cation-exchange resin beads and subsequently exposed to a metered volume of sample solution. The analyte loaded beads are afterwards eluted with 30mul of diluted nitric acid, and the eluate transported via air segmentation into the graphite tube. The used beads are then discarded. The ETAAS determination is performed in parallel with the preconcentration process of the ensuing sample. An improved precision of R.S.D. 1.5% is obtained as compared to the 3.4% for the procedure in which the loaded beads are transported directly to the graphite furnace for pyrolysis and atomization, and even improved in comparison to the traditional unidirectional and bidirectional repetitive elution procedures which under comparable conditions yield R.S.D.-values of 5.8 and 4.9%, respectively. The tolerance limits for cations such as Pb(II), Zn(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) were improved up to 10-50-folds, and the linear calibration range extended to comprise 0.02-1.20mug/l. Because of lower operating temperature, the life time of the graphite tube is extended. An enrichment factor of 71.1 and a detection limit of 10.2ng/l along with a sampling frequency of 12 s/h were obtained, which are at the same levels as those for the previously described procedure without elution. The present approach was validated by determination of the nickel contents in two certified reference materials, an industrial waste water sample and a human urine sample.