Accurate and sensitive analytical method for trace iron determination in clove tea and tap water samples by slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrometry after its preconcentration with supramolecular solvent-based liquid-phase microextraction

A green supramolecular solvent-based liquid-phase microextraction (SUPRAs-LPME) strategy was developed and used for the preconcentration of iron in clove tea and tap water samples at trace levels. Complex formation occurred between the iron and a Schiff base ligand obtained from 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and o-phenylenediamine reaction, and the coordinate complex formed was extracted to supramolecular solvent phase. Limit of detection and quantification values was found as 4.3 and 14.2 μgL−1, respectively, under the optimized conditions. When the analytical performance values obtained with SQT-FAAS, SUPRAs-LPME-FAAS and SUPRAs-LPME-SQT-FAAS are compared with FAAS, enhancements in detection power based on the LOD comparisons were calculated as 1.8, 31.4 and 65.8 times, respectively. The presented method was successfully applied to the determination of water-soluble iron in real clove tea in addition to tap water samples at trace levels, and the percent recoveries were obtained as 94.7–103.0% and 96.9–107.6%, respectively.