Flow-Injection Flame Atomic Absorption Determination of Hexavalent Chromium with On-Line Preconcentration on an Anion Imprinted Polymer

A flow injection preconcentration system for the flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of hexavalent chromium has been developed. The method employs on-line preconcentration of Cr(VI) on a minicolumn packed with Cr(VI)-imprinted poly(4-vinyl pyridine-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) placed into a flow injection system. Hexavalent chromium was eluted with a small volume of diluted hydrochloric acid into the nebulizer-burner system of a flame atomic absorption spectrometer. An enrichment factor of 550 and a 3σ detection limit of 0.04 μg⋅L along a sampling frequency of 4 h at a sample flow rate of 3.5 mL⋅min. The relative standard deviation is 2.9% for 1 μg⋅L Cr(VI) (n = 11). The flow injection system proposed has the advantage of being simpler because the use of expensive and sophisticated instruments is avoided. Ease of use, continuous process and selectivity make this method suitable for Cr(VI) determination in different environmental samples such as sea and river waters, soils and sediments.