Toxic metals have the ability to accumulate in the human body over time, leading to chronic exposure and serious health complications. Tellurium (Te), the heaviest stable chalcogen, is a rare element in the Earth’s crust and is considered toxic even at low concentrations. Prolonged exposure may damage the kidneys, liver, and nervous system.
In this study, a novel method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of Te(IV) using oleic acid-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (OAMNPs) for preconcentration, combined with slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrometry (SQT-FAAS). The method was optimized for several parameters: buffer volume (1 mL), nanoparticle amount (50 mg), pH (8.0), contact time (60 seconds), and manual shaking time (120 seconds).
The developed method achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 μg/L and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.07 μg/L, with a preconcentration factor of 76.2. Matrix effects were investigated, and recovery studies demonstrated the method’s high accuracy and applicability in real samples. The results confirmed that this approach is efficient, sensitive, and reliable for determining tellurium, even in complex matrices like cold tea.