Preconcentration and speciation of chromium in waters using solid-phase extraction and atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the preconcentration and speciation of chromium was developed. After formation of an anionic compound with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CrY−), Cr (VI) and Cr (III) are retained on a strong anionic phase (SAX) and controlled elution with 0.5 M NaCl permits their speciation. The retention and elution conditions were optimised, and interferences due to the presence of other ions such as Mg(II), Mn(II), Sn(II), Fe(III), Ba(II), Al(III), Ca(II), chloride, iodine, bromide, fluoride, sulphate, phosphate, bicarbonate and nitrate were studied. The detection limits were 0.4 μg l−1 and 1.1 μg l−1 for Cr(III) and Cr(VI), respectively, and reproducibility was 9%. The results obtained for speciation of chromium by the proposed method in wastewaters are in agreement with the values obtained by a reference method for a 95% confidence level.