Removal of high-salinity matrices through polymer-complexation-ultrafiltration for the detection of trace levels of REEs using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

The polymer-complexation-ultrafiltration (PCUF) technique was applied to separate trace levels of rare earth elements (REEs), including scandium, yttrium and the lanthanides, from high-salinity matrices prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The REEs were converted into REE-polymer complexes using the water-soluble polymer polyacrylic acid (PAA) at a specified pH, retained on the ultrafiltration membrane of centrifugal filter units, and finally eluted using diluted nitric acid to achieve separation from matrices with relatively high levels of various inorganic ions, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chlorine ions. Numerous factors affecting the PCUF efficiency were optimized.