Feasibility evaluation of trace amount of zinc in urine samples using atomic absorption solidified floating organic drop micro-extraction technique

Background: The present study was carried out with the aim of extracting trace amounts of zinc in urine samples with ultrasound-assisted emulsification solidified floating organic drop micro-extraction (USAE-SFODME) method by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The efficiency was investigated using the solvent extraction volume, extraction pH, time sonication and temperature extraction. The present study was conducted aiming to respond on the efficiency of SFODME technique in extracting inorganic analytes in biological samples. Materials and Methods: This was an experimental research with several steps. After preparation standard solution of zinc, USAE-SFODME technique was used for extracting zinc cation from urine samples. This method involves centrifuge, buffer and ligand adding, sonication, extraction of analyte and finally analysis with FAAS. Excel 2010 software was used in this study in order to plot the graphs. Results: Extraction of zinc was performed under optimized conditions of 2 ml 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN), 90 µl 1-dodecanol, pH = 5.5, for 20 minutes at 35 ˚C. Recovery, the regression coefficient, and relative standard deviation (RSD) were obtained as 96.6% and 99.0%, respectively. RSD for tree concentration 0.8 µgml-1 Zn cation (Zn2+) was 3.4%. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 0.426 µgml-1. Conclusions: Using green solvents, downsizing the samples, replacement of toxic reagents use, and lack of needing the preparation of the samples are the most important advantages of this technique. USAE-SFODME has a successful development in determining trace amounts of zinc in urine samples which can be performed in chemical laboratories with rather ordinary equipment.