Determination of trace amounts of palladium(II) in water by metal-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after preconcentration on chitin

Palladium(II) reacts with halogenide ions, such as chloride ion and bromide ion, to form anionic complexes. The acetylamino groups of chitin are protonated in an acidic medium, acting as an anion exchanger. The property of chitin was applied to the preconcentration and microdetermination of palladium(II). The palladium(II) chloro complex was quantitatively adsorbed onto chitin over the pH range of 2.5 - 4.0. The chitin which adsorbed the palladium(II) was separated from the sample solution by a membrane filter, and dispersed in pure water. The resulting suspension was introduced directly into a tungsten metal-furnace atomizer. An ashing temperature of 1000 degrees C and an atomizing temperature of 2300 degrees C were selected. The detection Limit for palladium(II) was 0.06 mu g/100 cm(3) (S/N greater than or equal to 3). The proposed method was applied to the determination of trace amounts of palladium(II) in water samples.