Preconcentration of aluminium by micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration

Abstract Traces of aluminium were preconcentrated in water samples by forming a complex with lumogallion, and successfully accumulated in the micellar phase obtained from cationic or non-ionic surfactants and filtered through 10 000 molecular weight cut-off ultrafiltration membranes. Studies indicated that, at pH 5.9, with 1 X 10 −3 M lumogallion and 2 X 10 −2 M cetyltrimethylamonium bromide, quantitative retention of aluminium present at μg ml −1 concentration levels was achieved. A micellar-enhanced fluorimetric procedure was employed to analyse the permeate solutions, whereas nitrous oxide-acetylene flame atomic emission spectrometry was used to determine aluminium in the retentate. The …