Determination of trace amounts of antimony by spectrofluorimetry in hydrobromic acid medium at liquid nitrogen temperature

Trace amounts of antimony(III) may be determined in 6M hydrobromic acid by measurement of the red fluorescence of its bromide complex at -196 degrees , the optimum wavelengths of excitation and emission (360 and 586 nm respectively) being used. Calibration graphs are linear between 0.01 and 0.25 ppm. The effect of the presence of 50-fold molar amounts of 55 foreign ions has been studied. Of the ions studied, only iron(III) and tellurium(IV) interfere, and these may be tolerated at the 50- and 20-fold levels respectively. A 1000-fold molar amount of arsenic(III) causes no interference.