Cloud point extraction–atomic absorption spectrometry for pre-concentration and determination of cadmium in cigarette samples

A new complexing agent, 2-((2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2yl)methoxy)phenoxy)methyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (BIMPI), was used in cloud point extraction and applied for selective pre-concentration of trace amounts of cadmium in cigarette samples. Cadmium was complexed with BIMPI in a buffer solution (pH = 10) using Triton X-114 as surfactant and quantitatively extracted into a small volume of the surfactant-rich phase after centrifugation. Under optimized conditions (pH = 10.0, 0.8 × 10−4 mol L−1 BIMPI and 0.08 % (w/v) Triton X-114), calibration graph was linear in the range of 34.0–1,670.0 μg L−1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Cd in various cigarette (tobacco) samples which gave satisfactory results.