Determination of copper by FAAS after preconcentration with lead-4-methylpiperidinedithiocarbamate on microcrystalline naphthalene by solid-phase extraction

By using the Pb-4-methylpiperidinedithiocarbamate complex (Pb(4-MPDC)(2)) o n microcrystalline naphthalene in a column a method was developed for the p reconcentration of copper in water samples prior to its determination by FA AS. In this method, copper in liquid phase quantitatively replaces lead on the Pb(4-MPDC)(2)-naphthalene solid phase in the column, forming solid Cu(4 -MPDC)(2) complex. Afterwards, copper on Cu(4-MPDC)(2)-naphthalene can be e asily eluted by potassium cyanide into the aqueous phase, and the Cu is mea sured by FAAS. The optimum experimental parameters such as pH, flow rate,sa mple volume, Pb(4-MPDC)2-naphthalene ratio, concentration of the potassium cyanide solution and effect of matrix ions for the preconcentration of copp er were investigated. The obtained recovery was nearly 100 %, when the enri chment factor was 100 for standard solutions and spiked water samples. The proposed method has been employed for the determination of copper in variou s standard metal alloys and natural water samples.