Modified clinoptilolite zeolite as a new and green sorbent for simultaneous separation and preconcentration trace amounts of Ag +and Cd2+

This work assesses the use of modified clinoptilolite zeolite as a sorbent for simultaneous separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of Ag+ and Cd2+. Natural clinoptilolite zeolite is modified with α- cyclodextrin and is then saturated with 3-amino-2-mercapto quinazolin-4(3H)-one (AMQ). This paper describes a simple, rapid and sensitive flame atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of trace amounts of Ag+ and Cd2+ in various samples after adsorption of these ions on a modified clinoptilolite column in the pH range of 6–8.5. The retained analytes on the modified clinoptilolite are recovered with 4.0 mL of 1.0 mol L-1 nitric acid with a preconcentration factor of 140 and determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).