LAUSR

The main goal of this work is development of an effective analytical method for trace determination of Ag(I). The novelty of the Ag(I) preconcentration–determination method is mainly referred to the material and the enrichment–detection process (alginic acid gel phase was employed in a pH-switched sol–gel entrapment/Ag fluorescence detection). Ag(I) was reduced to Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) and then was enriched by the alginic acid hydrogel phase. Then, the formed gel phase (containing AgNPs) was dissolved in alkali solution prior to Ag detection. The enrichment method was highly compatible with spectrofluorimetry, electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and spectrophotometry. Optimization of the reduction-enrichment procedure was performed employing spectrofluorimetry. The linear working range (LWR) and limit of detection (LOD) for Ag(I) determination were found as 0.1–25 and 0.017 µmol L− 1, respectively. The effects of various anions, cations and organic chemicals on Ag(I) determination were spectrofluorimetrically studied. The applied enrichment-ETAAS Ag(I) determination method showed the LWR and LOD as 0.2–6.9 and 0.05 nmol L− 1, respectively. Also, an enrichment factor equal to 30.3 was obtained for the preconcentration method. The method was successfully applied to determine Ag in different water samples, jewels, antimicrobial suspensions and waste X-ray films. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission-scanning electron microscopy and EDX-mapping were also employed to characterize the entrapped AgNPs in the alginic acid gel phase. The complimentary experiments showed the alginic acid gel was also applicable for quantitative recovery of silver from the waste radiographic films.