Determination of thallium in wine by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after extraction preconcentration

A simple method for extraction electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy (ETAAS) determination of Tl in wine is described. The wine sample is decomposed with a mixture of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide and both thallium species Tl(I) and Tl(III) are extracted from 0.5 mol l−1 KI solution into iso-butyl methyl ketone (IBMK). Optimal parameters for ETAAS measurement of the iodide complexes extracted were defined for two different instruments: Perkin Elmer Zeeman 3030 (HGA 600) and Varian SpectrAA-880 (GTA-100). Modifiers of tartaric acid, Pd [ammoniumtetrachloropaladate (II)] or Ag (silver nitrate) were investigated for thermal stabilization of such extremely volatile species as iodide complexes of Tl. The analytical procedure developed permits 50-fold preconcentration and determination of 0.05 μg l−1 Tl in wine. The relative standard deviation ranges from 6 to 12% for the concentration range 0.2–1 μg l−1 Tl in wine.