Controlled potential lodometric determination of nitrate after reduction to nitrite by coppered cadmium

A controlled-potential coulometric iodometric method previously developed for the accurate determination of small amounts of nitrite has been extended for the determination of nitrate after its reduction on a coppered cadmium reductor. The conditions for quantitative reduction have been investigated with respect to type of reductor and pH. Nitrate-nitrogen in the range 0.01-100 mug ml may be determined with high accuracy in less than 10 min, including the reduction step. The method has been applied with good results to a large variety of samples such as meat products, juices and waste waters.