Ultrasound-Assisted Emulsification Microextraction in an Online System for Determination of Cadmium in Water and Tea Samples.

In this work, a method using ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction (USAEME) without the use of ligands in an online system for preconcentration and determination of cadmium was developed. The method was based on the preconcentration of cadmium by USAEME, employing trichloroethylene as the extraction solvent, and subsequent retention of the rich phase in a mini-column packed with silica gel. The extracted metal was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The parameters that affect the extraction of cadmium were optimized using the univariate method. Under optimized conditions, the method presented a limit of detection of 0.17 μg/L, a limit of quantification of 0.57 μg/L, an enrichment factor of 56, and a consumptive index of 0.18 mL/min. The accuracy of the method was tested by analyzing the certified reference material, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1573 (tomato leaves). The determination of Cd in water (drinking water, bottled water, river water, and seawater) and tea (black and green tea) samples was also performed using the proposed method. The method is simple, efficient, and eco-friendly because it requires low consumption of an organic solvent.