Separation and Determination of Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+ from Water Samples Using Chemically Modified Groundnut Shells

Chemically modified groundnut shells via esterification with Tartaric acid under conditions were employed and used as a new solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent for determination of trace metals as Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+ from environmental water samples. Experimental conditions for effective separation and preconcentration of the studied metal ions were optimized with respect to different experimental parameters in batch and column processes. Tartaric acid groundnut shells sorbent (TA-GNS) was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and TGA analysis. Optimal experimental conditions were at pH 6, shaking time 60 min, sample flow rate 4 mL.min-1 and desorption by 12.5 mL from 1.0 mol.L-1 HCl. The limit of detection was found to be 0.72, 0.64 and 1.6 µg.L-1for Cd2+, Pb2+and Cu2+ respectively. A preconcentration factor of 160 has been achieved for all studied metal ions.Precision (R.S.D %) was also evaluated and found to be ? 6.0 % ( n=3).The potential applications of the modified TA-GNS for the removal and separation of the examined metal ions from two water samples (tap water and treatment plant water intake (New El-Azab) at Fayoum City, Egypt) were investigated.