Catalytic determination of ultra trace amounts of vanadium with detection by linear sweep voltammetry

Vanadium has a very strong catalytic effect on the bromate oxidation of gallocyanine at pH of 4.0. The oxidation product of gallocyanine exhibit a voltammetric wave at + 0.10 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 0.10 mol/l KNO₃ medium. The linear scan voltammetric behaviour of the reaction products at HMDE has been studied and selected as the indicator component for the reaction. A detection limit of 0.05 ng/ml and calibration graph from 0.30–200.00 ng/ml vanadium were obtained. Vanadium in water and gasoline samples was determined by this method, with satisfactory results. Received: 26 September 1996 / Revised: 6 November 1996 / Accepted: 15 November 1996