Indirect spectrophotometric determination of ascorbic acid with ferrozine by flow-injection analysis

A FIA indirect spectrophotometric determination of ascorbic acid was developed using its reducing action on Fe(III) in acidic medium and following the spectrophotometric determination of the reduced iron by using sodium 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine-4',4'-disulphonate (ferrozine) as chromogenic reagent in buffered medium (pH 5.5) and monitoring the absorbance signal at 562 nm. A three-line manifold with two reaction coils was used: in the first reaction coil, ascorbic acid reduces Fe(III) to Fe(II); and in the second one, the complexation reaction is developed. The linear range of the method was 0.5-10 mug ml(-1) of ascorbic acid, the detection limit being 0.028 mug ml(-1). The proposed method was sensitive, rapid (sampling rate of 90 samples h(-1)) and reproducible (RSD 0.19%, n=10). Satisfactory results were obtained in the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations, fruit juices and urine testifying the applicability of the method to real samples.     

Non-extraction batchwise and FIA determination of cationic and nonionic surfactants using Cu(II)-chromazurol S-surfactant complexes

Batchwise and FIA determinations have been developed for cationic and nonionic surfactants, based on the formation of ternary Cu(II)-chromazurol S-surfactant compounds. Optimum reaction conditions have been found (pH 8.0, lambda=590 and 630 nm, respectively). For the batchwise measurement, the molar absorption coefficient values epsilon(590)=5.1-5.7x10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1) for cationic surfactants, epsilon(630)=0.7-1.5x10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1) for nonionic surfactants. A factorial design has been carried out to determine the optimum flow conditions. Calibration curves were constructed and statistically evaluated for both the batchwise and FIA determination. For example, the linear concentration ranges for batch determination of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and nonionic surfactant Marlophen NP 10 are 0-15 mug ml(-1) (R=0.9996, R.S.D.=6.62-0.64%) and 13-53 mug ml(-1) (R=0.9993, R.S.D.=4.48-1.40%), respectively; the respective detection limits are 0.02 and 4.0 mug ml(-1). For FIA determination of the same surfactants, the linear concentration ranges are 0-13 mug ml(-1) (R=0.9995, R.S.D.=4.44-0.49%) and 66-397 mug ml(-1) (R=0.9994, R.S.D.=8.92-1.12%), respectively, detection limits are 0.08 and 38 mug ml(-1), respectively.     

Ion paired chromatography of iron (II,III), nickel (II) and copper (II) as their 4,7-Diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline chelates

A reversed phase ion-paired chromatographic method that can be used to determine trace amounts of iron (II,III), nickel (II) and copper (II) was developed and applied to the determination of iron (II) and iron (III) levels in natural water. The separation of these metal ions as their 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (bathophenanthroline) chelates on an Inertsil ODS column was investigated by using acetonitrile-water (80/20, v/v) containing 0.06 M perchloric acid as mobile phase and diode array spectrophotometric detection at 250-650 nm. Chromatographic parameters such as composition of mobile phase and concentration of perchloric acid in mobile phase were optimized. The calibration graphs of iron (II), nickel (II) and copper (II) ions were linear (r > 0.991) in the concentration range 0-0.5, 0-2.0 and 0-4.0 mug ml(-1), respectively. The detection limit of iron (II), nickel (II) and copper (II) were 2.67, 5.42 and 18.2 ng ml(-1) with relative standard deviation (n = 5) of 3.11, 5.81 and 7.16% at a concentration level of 10 ng ml(-1) for iron (II) and nickel (II) and 25 ng ml(-1) for copper (II), respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of iron(II) and iron(III) in tap water and sea water samples without any interference from other common metal ions.     

Sequential injection spectrophotometric determination of iron as Fe(II) in multi-vitamin preparations using 1,10-phenanthroline as complexing agent

A sequential injection analysis (SIA) system is proposed for the determination of iron (II). Fe(II) was determined by SIA based on the reaction between 1,10-phenanthroline and iron (II), yielding an orange–red colour complex with absorption maximum at 512 nm. The method involved aspiration of 187 μl sample/standard zone followed by a zone of a reagent solution containing 140 μl of 7.8 × 10⁻⁴ mol l⁻¹ 1,10-phenanthroline into a carrier stream to be stacked inside a holding coil and flow reversed through a reaction coil to a detector. The optimum condition was evaluated and the calibration curve is linear over a range of 0.25 to 5.0 mg l⁻¹ of Fe(II) with detection limit of 18 μg l⁻¹. A sample throughput of 40 h⁻¹ was established. This technique is found to be simple, accurate, reproducible and sensitive. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of total iron as Fe(II) in pharmaceutical products (multi-vitamin tablets) and is especially useful for the determination of iron (II) in tablets with lower iron (II) contents. The results were found to be in good agreement with the results obtained by manual UV/Vis spectrophotometry and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and with claimed values by the manufacturers.     

Rapid automated in-situ monitoring of total dissolved iron and total dissolved manganese in underground water by reverse-flow injection with chemiluminescence detection during the process of water treatment

Measurement of iron and manganese is very important in evaluating the quality of natural waters. We have constructed an automated Fe(II), total dissolved iron(TDI), Mn(II), and total dissolved manganese(TDM) analysis system for the quality control of underground drinking water by reverse flow injection analysis and chemiluminescence detection(rFIA-CL). The method is based on the measurement of the metal-catalyzed light emission from luminol oxidation by potassium periodate. The typical signal is a narrow peak, in which the height is proportional to light emitted and hence to the concentration of metal ions. The detection limits were 3 x 10(-6)mug ml(-1) for Fe(II) and the linear range extents up to 1.0 x 10(-4) and 5 x 10(-6)mug ml(-1) for Mn(II) cover a linear range to 1.0 x 10(-4)mug ml(-1). This method was used for automated in-situ monitoring of total dissolved iron and total dissolved manganese in underground water during water treatment.     

Rapid determination of zinc and iron in foods by flow-injection analysis with flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry and slurry nebulization

A rapid method of determining zinc and iron in food by flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with slurry nebulization into an air-acetylene flame has been developed. A V-groove, clog-free Babington-type nebulizer, coupled to a single-line flow-injection analysis (FIA) system, was employed to introduce the slurry into the spray chamber. Under the FIA conditions described, an injection frequency of 120/hr is possible, with negligible carry-over and memory effects. The calibration graphs were obtained by using various concentrations (up to 0.1 g/ml) of white bean homogenate as standards, rather than solutions. The method has been applied to various kinds of foods, including grains, vegetables, fruits and sausage. Homogenization of semi-prepared samples to form slurries took only 4 min. Relative deviations between results by the slurry and solution methods for both elements averaged 2-3%. Detection limits by the slurry method were 0.3 mug/ml Zn and 0.6 mug/ml Fe.     

Selective and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) and benzoylperoxide with N-ethyl-2-naphthylamine

Spectrophotometric determinations of benzoylperoxide (BPO) and copper(II) were, respectively, investigated by using the colour reaction for N-ethyl-2-naphthylamine (NENA), BPO and copper(II) as a metal ion in various concentrations of acetonitrile-water mixed solution as acidic media. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 0-200 mug BPO with apparent molecular coefficient (epsilon) of 8.5 x 10(3)M(-1) cm(-1) at 530 nm, and 0-2.4 mug per 10 ml copper(II) with epsilon = 1.72 x 10(5)M(-1) cm(-1) at 533 nm, respectively. Additionally, the FIA method for copper(II) was proposed with NENA-BPO. The calibration graph for FIA was linear in the range of 0-7.9 ng copper(II) per 5 mul at 533 nm. These proposed methods were selective and simple in comparison with previous methods such as cuproin kinetic reactions, especially the spectrophotometry for copper(II) with NENA-BPO was very specific, and the effect of foreign ions was negligible.     

Sequential determination of iron(II) and iron(III) in pharmaceutical by flow-injection analysis with spectrophotometric detection.

A flow injection procedure for the sequential spectrophotometric determination of iron(II) and iron(III) in pharmaceutical products is described. The method is based on the catalytic effect of iron(II) on the oxidation of iodide by bromate at pH = 4.0. The reaction was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbance of produced triiodide ion at 352 nm. The activating effect for the catalysis of iron(II) was extremely exhibited in the presence of oxalate ions, while oxalate acted as a masking agent for iron(III). The iron(III) in a sample solution could be determined by passing through a Cd-Hg reductor column introduced in the FIA system to reduce iron(III) to iron(II), which allows total iron determination. Under the optimum conditions, iron(II) and iron(III) could be determined over the range of 0.05 - 5.0 and 0.10 - 5.0 microg ml(-1), respectively with a sampling rate of 17 +/- 5 h(-1). The experimental limits of detection were 0.03 and 0.04 microg ml(-1) for iron(II) and iron(III), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the speciation of iron in pharmaceutical products.     

Colorimetric determination of copper in aqueous samples using a flow injection system with a pre-concentration poly(ethylenimine) column

A colorimetric flow injection-system for the determination of Cu(II) in waters based on complexation reaction with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol, usually termed PAR, is described. Performing measurements in 0.25 mol l(-1) HNO(3) medium allowed improved selectivity of the analytical method. The lack of sensitivity deriving from the low complex absorption under acidic conditions was balanced by the insertion of an immobilised poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) column where Cu(II) pre-concentration in neutral media occurs. Using sample volumes ranging from 2 to 4 ml, sampling rates of 24 and 12 samples h(-1) within a detection limit of 25 and 13 mug l(-1), respectively, were accomplished. Accuracy of the developed methodology was assessed by comparison with atomic absorption spectrometry being the relationship [FIA] mg l(-1)=1.00 (+/-0.03)x[AAS] mg l(-1)+0.00 (+/-0.02) obtained after analysing 15 samples. Precision was also evaluated using two samples of 0.05 and 0.5 mg l(-1) copper, and a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) better than 3% was attained for both.     

Flow injection spectrophotometric determination of lactic acid in skimmed milk based on a photochemical reaction

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of lactic acid in milk samples based on the use of a photochemical reaction carried out in a Flow Injection System is proposed. Determination is based on the reaction between lactic acid and Fe(III), which is reduced to Fe(II) in the presence of UV light, being the latter made to react with o-phenanthroline. The complex formed between Fe(II) and o-phenanthroline, Fe(o-phen)(3)(2+) (ferroin) is a coloured compound and it can be spectrophotometrically monitored at 512 nm. The method shows a linear range between 0.5 and 50 mug ml(-1) with a limit of detection of 0.16 mug ml(-1). The precision was +/-2.15 expressed as relative standard deviation (n=11) and the sample throughput of 30 samples h(-1). Also non-linear adjustments have been made and validated by ANOVA. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of lactic acid in both synthetic and milk samples.     

Manual and fia methods for the determination of cadmium with malachite green and iodide

A sensitive and rapid spectrophotometric method for the determination of cadmium is described, based on the formation of a blue complex at pH 4 between the anionic iodide complex of cadmium(II) and Malachite Green; the colour is stabilized with poly(vinyl alcohol). The calibration graph for measurement at 685 nm is linear over the range 1-50 mug of cadmium per 25 ml of final solution, with a relative standard deviation of +/-1.7% for 1 mug/ml cadmium. The molar absorptivity is 6.1 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1). The method can be successfully adapted for FIA, the peak height being proportional to the cadmium concentration over the range 0.1-3 mug/ml; a two-channel manifold is used and an improvement in selectivity is obtained. The use of a gradient tube is demonstrated to give a good calibration for Cd(II) over the range 2 x 10(-2) -2 x 10(-6)M.     

Preconcentration and atomic absorption determination of iron by sequential injection analysis

A sequential injection analysis (SIA) assembly for the atomic absorption determination of Fe(III) in natural waters is proposed. Iron is preconcentrated on a microcolumn packed with a chelating resin (Chelex 100) that is inserted in the manifold. The sample is passed through the column and the iron retained by the resin is subsequently eluted with 2 M HNO(3). The proposed SIA system affords automatic preconcentration, elution, detection of Fe(III), data acquisition and treatment. When 9 ml of iron solution containing 0.4 or 1 mg l(-1) was passed through the resin, the retention efficiency was 93.1 +/- 0.6 and 7.4 +/- 3.0% respectively, and when 27 ml of iron solution of 0.2 mg l(-1) was preconcentrated, the retention was 8.4 +/- 2.9%. The detection limits thus achieved is 12 mug l(-1) when 9 ml of sample are preconcentrated and 6 mug l(-1) for 27 ml.     

Preconcentration of iron (III), cobalt (II) and copper (II) nitroso-R complexes on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide-naphthalene adsorbent

Iron, cobalt and copper form coloured water soluble anionic complexes with disodium 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3-6-disulphonate (nitroso R-salt). The anionic complex is retained quantitatively as a water insoluble neutral ion associated complex (M-nitroso R-TDBA) on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide on naphthalene (TDBA(+)I(-)-naphthalene) packed column in the pH range of: Fe(III): 3.1-6.5, Co: 3.4-8.5 and Cu 5.9-8.0 when their solutions are passed individually over this adsorbent at a flow rate of 0.5-5.0 ml/min. The solid mass consisting of an ion associated metal complex along with naphthalene is dissolved out of the column with 5 ml dimethylformamide/chloroform and metals are determined spectrophotometrically. The absorbance is measured at 710 nm for iron, 425 nm for cobalt and 480 nm for copper. Beers law is obeyed in the concentration range 9.2-82 mug of iron, 425 nm for cobalt cobalt and 3.0-62 mug of copper in 5 ml of final DMF/CHCl(3) solution. The molar absorptivities are calculated to be Fe: 7.58 x 10(3), Co: 1.33 x 10(4) and Cu: 4.92 x 10(4)M(-1)cm(-1). Ten replicate determinations containing 25 mug of iron, 9.96 mug of cobalt and 3.17 mug of copper gave mean absorbances 0.677, 0.450 and 0.490 with relative standard deviations of 0.88, 0.98 and 0.92%, respectively. The interference of large number of metals and anions on the estimations of these metals has been studied. The optimized conditions so developed have been employed for the trace determination of these metals in standard alloys, waste water and fly ash samples.     

Separation and preconcentration of iron(II) and iron(III) from natural water on a melamine-formaldehyde resin

A combined method for the preconcentration and selective spectrophotometric determination of both valencies of iron, i.e., Fe(II) and Fe(III), down to 0.4 mug l(-1) has been developed. Iron(III) from synthetic and natural water samples has been concentrated on a melamine-formaldehyde resin at pH 5; iron(II) was not retained under identical conditions. The oxidized iron was concentrated on a second resin column. The iron in both columns was eluted with 1 M HCl solution and separately analyzed by the 1,10-phenanthroline-citrate spectrophotometric method. The effect of pH, adsorption and elution rates, and interferences on the developed procedure were investigated. Metal ions that can be retained by the resin at moderate concentrations, e.g., Al(3+), do not cause interference in more dilute solutions encountered in natural water samples. At least 160-fold volume enrichment can be easily obtained using an adsorption flowrate of 50 ml min(-1). A hydrothermal water sample was analyzed by the recommended procedure and by a literature method, and the results were statistically compared by t- and F-tests.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of cobalt(II), copper(II) and iron(II) using 2-thiophenaldehyde-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone as derivatizing reagent

The complexing reagent 2-thiophenaldehyde-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (TAPT) was examined for high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separations of cobalt(II), copper(II) and iron(II) or cobalt(II), nickel(II), iron(II), copper(II) and mercury(II) as metal chelates on a Microsorb C-18, 5-mum column (150x4.6 mm i.d.) (Rainin Instruments Woburn, MA, USA). The complexes were eluted isocratically with methanol:acetonitrile:water containing sodium acetate and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBA). UV detection was at 254 nm. The solvent extraction procedure was developed for simultaneous determination of the metals, with detection limits within 0.5-2.5 mug ml(-1) in the final solution. The method was applied for the determination of copper, cobalt and iron in pharmaceutical preparation.     

Determination of iron(II) and total iron in environmental water samples by flow injection analysis with column preconcentration of chelating resin functionalized with N-hydroxyethylethylenediamine ligands and chemiluminescence detection

A flow injection analysis (FIA) technique for the determination of Fe(II) and total-Fe in environmental water samples has been developed with a high sensitivity. The resin used for preconcentration of iron was the macroporous resin, Amberlite XAD-4 functionalized by N-hydroxyethylethylenediamine (HEED) groups. The technique employed was FIA by combination of on-line chelate resin preconcentration and chemiluminescence detection (CL), using brilliant sulfoflavine and hydrogen peroxide reagent solutions. The interference by coexisting Fe(III) could be eliminated by addition of 1×10⁻⁶ mol of deferrioxamine B solution. The detection limits of Fe(II) and total-Fe were 0.80 and 0.36 nmol l⁻¹ for 5.6-ml seawater samples with a concentration of 2 nmol l⁻¹. The relative standard deviations for both samples were less than ±4%. A typical analysis for Fe(II) can be performed in 7.5 min. The technique was ascertained by comparing the analytical value of total-Fe with the certified value of Fe in the reference standard seawater CASS-3.     

Rapid determination of dissolved organic phosphorus in soil leachates and runoff waters by flow injection analysis with on-line photo-oxidation

A rapid method suitable for the determination of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in soil leachates and runoff waters is presented. The flow injection (FI) manifold contains an in-line PTFE reaction coil wrapped around a low power UV lamp and is based on the spectrophotometric determination of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and mineralised DOP at 690 nm after reduction of phosphomolybdate to molybdenum blue with tin(II) chloride. The linear range was 0-1.5 mg 1(-1) PO(4)-P, with a detection limit (3 s) of 7 mug 1(-1) and a sample throughput of 40 h(-1). Tolerance to potential matrix interferences in soil pore waters, particularly Al(III), Si(IV), Fe(II) and Fe(III), was achieved using a combination of on-line sample pre-treatment by a strong acid ion exchange column, low photoreactor pH and acid induced control of the kinetics of the molybdenum blue reaction. The results obtained with this manifold were in good agreement with those obtained by a batch spectrophotometric reference method.     

Potentiometric determination of bromate using an Fe(III)-Fe(II) potential buffer by circulatory flow-injection analysis.

A method for the potentiometric determination of bromate by circulatory flow injection analysis (CFIA) is described. The procedure involves the use of an Fe(III)-Fe(II) potential buffer solution, which is recycled via a reservoir. The analytical method is based on a linear relationship between the concentration of bromate and a very transient potential change in the electrode potential due to the generation of intermediate bromine during the reaction of bromate with the Fe(III)-Fe(II) potential buffer solution, which also contains NaBr, (NH4)6Mo7O24 and H2SO4. An aliquot (5 microl) of a bromate sample solution was injected into the stream of the potential buffer solution, 100 ml of which was circulated at a flow rate of 1 ml/min; the potential buffer solution stream was then returned to the reservoir after passing through a flow-through redox electrode detector. A potential change due to the reaction of the injected sample with the potential buffer in a reaction coil was measured with the detector in the form of a peak signal. The effects of the bromide, sulfuric acid and Fe(III)-Fe(II) concentrations in the potential buffer, and length of the reaction coil on the peak heights were examined in order to optimize the proposed CFIA method. The analytical sensitivities to bromate were 5.6 mV/microM for 1 x 10(-2) M and 30.9 mV/microM for 1 x 10(-3) M in the concentration of Fe(III)-Fe(II) in a potential buffer solution containing 0.35 M NaBr, 0.2% (NH4)6Mo7O24 and 1 M H2SO4. The detection limit of bromate obtained by a 1 x 10(-3) M Fe(III)-Fe(II) potential buffer solution was 0.02 microM (2.5 ppb). The numbers of repetitive determinations in which the relative sensitivities within 5% were regarded as being tolerated were ca. 4000 and 2000 for the use of only 100 ml of 1 x 10(-2) M and 1 x 10(-3) M Fe(III)-Fe(II) potential buffer solution, respectively.     

Fluorimetric determination of fluoride in a flow assembly integrated on-line to an open/closed FIA system to remove interference by solid phase extraction

A simple flow injection fluorimetric method for fluoride determination is proposed. The method is based on the enhanced fluorescence of quercitin-Zr(IV) complex when fluoride ion is present in the sample. An open/closed FIA manifold with a mini-column of Dowex 50W X8 resin was used to remove the most important interference (aluminum). The two FIA assemblies were integrated on-line to automate the pretreatment of the water sample and fluoride determination. The calibration graph was linear over the range 0.1-3.0 mug ml(-1) of fluoride with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 and LOD 0.06 mug ml(-1). The relative standard deviation was 2.5% and the sample throughput was 52 h(-1) without pretreatment and 10 h(-1) with pretreatment of the sample. The method was applied to the determination of fluoride in water samples.     

Determination of hydrogen peroxide by iron(III) complex of thiacalix[4]arenetetrasulfonate on a modified ion-exchanger with peroxidase-like catalytic activity.

An iron(III) complex of thiacalix[4]arenetetrasulfonate on a modified anion-exchanger (Fe3+-TCAS(A-500)) has shown high peroxidase-like activity at pH 5 - 6 for the reaction of quinoid-dye formation between 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone and N-(3-sulfopropyl)aniline in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Utilizing the peroxidase-like activity of Fe3+-TCAS(A-500) for this reaction, a method using Fe3+-TCAS(A-500) was applied for the spectrophotometric determination of hydrogen peroxide. The calibration curve by the method using Fe3+-TCAS(A-500) was linear over the range from 1 to 10 microg of hydrogen peroxide in a 1 ml sample solution. The apparent molar absorptivity for hydrogen peroxide was 2.4 x 10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1). which was about 80% of that by peroxidase under the same conditions. This determination method of hydrogen peroxide using Fe3+-TCAS(A-500) was applied for the determination of glucose in diluted normal and abnormal control serum I and II.