Abstract
We report on the preparation of a SnO2-Sb2O3 nanocomposite (NC) by a reductive facile low temperature route. The structural, morphological, elemental, and optical properties of the NC were investigated. The NC is shown to enable preconcentration of Pb(II) ions from aqueous samples with good selectivity over Cd(II), Cu(II), Hg(II), La(III), Mn(II), Pb(II), Pd(II), and Y(III). The uptake capacity for Pb(II) is similar to 82.0 mg g(-1). The adsorption for Pb(II) can be described by a Langmuir isotherm which indicates that the process is mainly of the monolayer type on a homogeneous surface. A kinetic study reveals the process to follow pseudo-second-order kinetics. Following desorption, the Pb(II) ions were quantified by ICP-OES. The limit of detection is 0.35 mu ga (TM) LaEuro3/4(1). The method was applied to the determination of Pb(II) in (spiked) real water samples and gave recoveries ranging from 93.9 to 98.9 %.