Abstract
Copper and iron in standard reference materials of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) have been simultaneously determined. Bovine liver was ashed with a mixture of HNO3-HClO4, and Tomato Leaves with HNO3-HClO4-HF. Copper and iron in biological samples were extracted into organic phases of small volume as acetylacetone(AA) chelates. The chelates were then separated on a COSMOSIL 5C18 column with an eluent of CH3OH-H2O-CH2Cl2-AA (59:37:4:0.5) and detected at 330 nm. This method permitted the separation and determination of copper, iron and palladium. Interference from foreign ions was investigated with various cations, anions, acids, reductants and oxidants. The μg/g levels of copper and iron in samples were determined, the results showing good agreement with the certified NBS values.
