Simultaneous determination of antimony and boron in beverage and dairy products by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after separation and pre-concentration by cloud-point extraction

Abstract

A new cloud-point extraction (CPE) method was developed for the pre-concentration and simultaneous determination of Sb(III) and B(III) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The method was based on complexation of Sb(III) and B(III) with azomethine-H in the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as a signal-enhancing agent, and then extraction into the micellar phase of Triton X-114. Under optimised conditions, linear calibration was obtained for Sb(III) and B(III) in the concentration ranges of 0.5-180 and 2.5-600 mu g l(-1) with LODs of 0.15 and 0.75 mu g l(-1), respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) (25 and 100 mu g l(-1) of Sb(III) and B(III), n = 6) were in a range of 2.1-3.8% and 1.9-2.3%, respectively. Recoveries of spiked samples of Sb(III) and B(III) were in the range of 98-103% and 99-102%, respectively. Measured values for Sb and B in three standard reference materials were within the 95% confidence limit of the certified values. Also, the method was used for the speciation of inorganic antimony. Sb(III), Sb(V) and total Sb were measured in the presence of excess boron before and after pre-reduction with an acidic mixture of KI-ascorbic acid. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of total Sb and B in selected beverage and dairy products.