Trace metal ions have important roles in life, involving a wide spectrum of activities. Thus, the determination of trace metal ions is becoming increasingly important because of increased interest in environmental samples. [1][2][3] Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) has been widely used for the determination of trace heavy metal ions in water samples, [4][5][6] because of its high specificity and low cost. The presence of even low concentrations (ppb) of some heavy metals in natural water systems can have a hazardous effect on both wild life and humans.However, the direct determination of trace concentrations of these elements by FAAS is generally difficult because of matrix interference problems and concentrations that are below the detection limits of FAAS. At these low concentrations of metals, the sample often requires preconcentration before analysis can be undertaken. Several methods have been employed in the preconcentration of metal ions from aqueous solutions, such as solvent extraction using chelating agents 7 and the use of polymeric resins.
8These methods suffer from a number of drawbacks. The use of chelating reagents (i.e. iminodiacetate resin) is time consuming, whereas organic resins possess low mechanical stabilities and the time taken for the metal ion to be complexed can reach the order of hours. In addition, these methods are often unselective towards the metal being analyzed, with interference from alkaline earth metals being particularly problematic. 9 In recent years, the use of modified silica gels in the preconcentration of trace metals has been investigated. 10,11 As with applications in catalysis modified silica gels offer the advantages of high surface areas and increased mechanical stability. Silica gel modified with organic functional groups such as -NH2, -SH, and -CH has been a subject of great interest. 12,13 The sorption mechanism of the modified silica gel for the metals was described by Koklu 14 as shown below:(2) NH2 (on surface)Concentration and separation of some microelements on silica gel with grafted chelating groups are represented in Table 1. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] In the present study, the adsorption characteristics of the modified silica gel (SiG-NPPDA) and its application to the preconcentration and separation of traces of nine heavy metals The use of the chemically modified silica gel N-(3-propyl)-O-phenylenediamine (SiG-NPPDA) adsorbent, for the preconcentration and separation of trace heavy metals, was described. SiG-NPPDA sorbs quantitatively (90 -100% recovery) trace amounts of nine heavy metals, viz., Cd(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cu(II), Pb(II), Mn(II), Cr(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) at pH 7 -8. The sorption capacity varies from 350 to 450 µmol g -1 . Desorption was found to be quantitative with 1 -2 M HNO3 or 0.05 M Na2EDTA. The distribution coefficient, Kd and the percentage concentration of the investigated metal ions on the adsorbent at equilibrium, CM,eqm% (Recovery, R%), were studied as a function of experimental parameters.The logarit...