Abstract: A micro-flow injection sorbent extraction preconcentration system was combined with a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry that formed an integrated system for the determination of trace amounts of elements. The analytical performances of the prospsed method for determining Cd, Cu and Mn were studied. The analytes were preconcentrated with a thiol resin(Type 190, produced by Nankai University, China) whose active group is -SH. The elements to be determined were preconcentrated onto the column for 60 s and then rinsed with deionized water and eluted with 30 μL of 1 mol/L HCl. The graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry(GFAAS) determination of the concentrated analyte was carried out in parallel with the next preconcentration cycle. Enrichment factors 41, 22 and 20 and detection limits(3σ, n=10) 0.36, 3.8 and 7.0 ng/L for Cd, Cu and Mn, respectively, along with a sampling frequency of 20 h^-1, were obtained with a 60 s loading time at a sample flow rate of 3.5 mL/min. The analytical results for a number of water samples show that the flow-injection semi-online column preconcentration can not only eliminate the effect of some concomitant elements, such as Li, Na, K, Ca and Mg, on the determination of the analyte, but also enhance the sensitivity.

Key words: Flow-injection, Semi-online preconcentration, Atomic absorption spectrometry, Cadmium, Copper, Manganese