Separation and determination of selenium in rocks, marine sediments and plankton by direct evolution with the bromide-condensed phosphoric acid reagent

A new method is presented for the quantitative separation and determination of selenium by direct evolution with the bromide-condensed phosphoric acid reagent (Br(-)-CPA) from rocks, marine sediments and plankton. In the reaction with the Br(-1)-CPA, selenium(IV) and (VI) in the solid samples are evolved as selenium tetrabromide, and can be collected in an absorbing solution of 0.3M hydrochloric acid and 06M perchloric add (1:1), and then determined spectrophotometrically with 4-substituted o-phenylenediamines followed by the extraction of the resulting 5-substituted piazselenol into toluene. Elemental selenium and selenide do not react with the Br(-)-CPA, but can be determined after oxidation to selenite with potassium iodate. Therefore, successive distillations, the first with Br(-)-CPA and the second with IO(3)(-)-Br(-)-CPA, give a satisfactory means of diflerential determination of selenium(IV) and (VI), and elemental selenium and selenide. This method can be successfully applied for the separation of selenium in the neutron-activation analysis of standard rock samples, marine sediments and plankton, giving good and reliable results.     

Separation of chromium (VI) using complexation and its determination with GFAAS

In acidic medium and in the presence of chloride ions 2-[2-(4-methoxy-phenylamino)-vinyl]-1,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indolium chloride forms complex with Cr(VI). The optimum conditions (pH, concentration of Cl^- and the complex forming reagent) of the separation and extraction of Cr(VI) into toluene using this basic dye as a complexing reagent have been determined and the possible interferences of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cr(III), Ni, Pb, Hg, Mn, Al, Cu have been studied. An electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS) was used for the determination of Cr(VI). The detection limit of the method for Cr(VI) found to be 0.15 μg dm^− 3 and RSD for spiked drinking water was better than 3%.     

Titrimetric determination of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) alone and in mixtures with hydrazine sulphate in phosphoric acid media

Hydrazine sulphate is proposed as a primary standard reagent for the direct titrimetric determination of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) alone and in mixtures with potentiometric and photometric end-points, in 9–12 M phosphoric acid medium. The methods proposed possess advantages over those currently available. The use of phosphoric acid as a reaction medium not only accelerates the hydrazine-vanadium(V) reaction very much but also makes it follow an accurate stoichiometric path.     

Hydrazine sulphate as reagent for titrimetric determination of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI)

Conditions have been developed for the direct titration of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) with hydrazine sulphate, barium diphenylaminesulphonate being used as indicator and osmium tetroxide as catalyst.     

Selective measurement of chromium(VI) by fluorescence quenching of ruthenium

The oxidative deterioration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in culinary oils and fats during episodes of heating associated with normal usage (80-300 degrees C, 20-40 min) has been monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal oxidation of PUFAs is a free radical chain reaction, in which hydroperoxides are generally recognized as the primary major products. Hydroperoxides of PUFAs are easily decomposed into a very complex mixture of secondary products with the decrease in unsaturation. The oxidative advance of PUFAs during heating was studied by the determination of unsaturation percentage at different temperatures and heating times. Oils frequently used in food frying such as olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and seeds oil (sunflower, safflower and canola seed) were studied. The results show there is a decrease in unsaturation starting at 150 degrees C and becoming more pronounced at temperatures around 250 degrees C. The following variations were found in the unsaturation percentage, expressed as methyl linoleate, between the original sample and the sample heated at 300 degrees C for 40 min: olive oil (19-6%), sunflower oil (29-12%), corn oil (28-18%) and seeds oil (23-11%). This variation in unsaturation grade provides evidence of the transformation of essential PUFAs and subsequent decrease in the oils' nutritional value. The internal standard method is suitably precise when the n-valeronitrile is used as standard as shown by the 1-2% relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) found for seven replicates.     

Malachite green as a reagent for detection and spectrophotometric determination of chromium(VI)

A sensitive and inexpensive method of spectrophotometric determination of chromium(VI), based on the absorbance of its complex with malachite green and acetic acid at pH 2.5 is reported. The complex shows a molar absorptivity of 8 x 10(4) l.mole(-1) cm(-1) at 560 nm, using malachite green and acetic acid as reference solution. The effect of time, temperature, pH and reagent concentration is studied and optimum operating conditions are established. Beer's law is applicable in the concentration range 2.0-22.8 mug/ml chromium(VI). The resin beads act as a catalyst and as little as 1.6 mug of chromium(VI) is detected in the resin phase as compared to 4.1 mug in the solution phase. The standard deviation in the determinations is +/-0.40 mug/ml for a 10.35 mug/ml solution.     

Spectrophotometric determination of chromium(VI) with ferron

Chromium(VI) gives a pink coloured solution in chloroform in the presence of ferron when extracted from slightly acidic medium. This reaction is used for the spectrophotometric determination of chromium by measuring the absorbance at 510 nm. Beers law is obeyed in the range of 5–70 g/ml. Most of the important metal ions do not interfere. The relative standard deviation is 2.78%.     

Method for the determination of chromium (VI) as chromium (VI)-dibenzyidithiocarbamate

Dibenzyldithiocarbamic acid (DBDC) exhibits the ability to speciate between chromium(VI) and chromium(III), since only the chromium(VI) will form complexes with DBDC. The complex is then extracted into an organic solvent and assayed using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometer at 498.8 nm. Using 250 ml of aqueous sample detection limits less than 1 ng/ml are possible, while the linear range extends to 500 gmg/ml when working at 498.8 nm. Oxidation of the chromium(III) to chromium (VI) using cerium (IV) enables the determination of total chromium and subsequently the chromium (III) in solution. Evaluation of the method with a standard reference material produced only 4.81 part per thousand error in the determination of chromium(VI).     

Ion-chromatographic determination of chromium (VI)

Summary A simple ion-chromatographic method has been developed for the selective determination of chromium (VI) using UV-photometric detection. The anion exchanger was based on a matrix of a 2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate copolymer; the mobile phase consisted of phosphate buffer and sodium perchlorate. The relative standard deviation was 2.26%. Application was made to waste waters of the metallurgical industry.     

Reduction of chromium(VI) by phosphonic acid

The kinetics of electron transfer between chromium(VI) and H3PO3, yielding chromium(III), have been investigated in HClO4 and H2SO4 media by visible spectrophotometry. The rate of reaction increased with increasing [H2SO4] and [HClO4]. A rate law based on ester formation preceding the electron transfer has been established and a possible mechanism has been proposed. The mechanism and the derived rate law are consistent with the observed kinetics. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simultaneous determination of chromium (III) and chromium (VI) by reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC with chromium-specific detection

A method for the simultaneous determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) with reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC employing chromium-specific detection by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is presented. Experimental parameters of the chromatographic separation, such as concentration of the ion-pairing reagent, pH and polarity of the mobile phase have been optimized for two different ion-pairing reagents, tetrabutylammonium phosphate (TBA) and tetraethylammonium nitrate (TEA). Best chromatographic conditions have been obtained with a polymer-based reversed-phase column (Hamilton PRP1) and mobile phases containing either TBA (1 mmol/l) in methanol-water (60:40, v/v) or TEA (2 mmol/l) in water at a pH between 3 and 4. With FAAS the detection limits (3) have been found to be 24 g/l for Cr(III) and 40 g/l for Cr(VI). A detection limit of 0.3 g/l Cr(3) for both chromium species has been obtained when ICP-MS has been used for detection. The method has been applied to analyze tap- and groundwater and to investigate the behaviour of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in spiked tap-water, as well as to analyze aqueous extracts of coal fly ash (NIST SRM 1633a) and of an ash from a wood treatment company.     

Separation of chromium (III) and chromium (VI) by capillary electrophoresis using 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as a pre-column complexation agent

A simple method was developed for the simultaneous determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), where Cr(III) was chelated with ligands to form anionic complexes. Nitrilotriacetic acid, N-2-hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDCA) were investigated as Cr(III) complexing ligands. Of all the ligands studied, 2,6-PDCA with Cr(III) gave the largest UV response and high selectivity for Cr(III). In addition, the condition for pre-column derivatization, including pH, concentration ratio [Cr(III)/2,6-PDCA] and the stability of Cr(III) complexes were also examined. The separation of anionic forms of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) was achieved using co-CZE with UV detection at 185 nm. The electrolyte contained 30 mM phosphate, 0.5 mM tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, 0.1 mM 2,6-PDCA and 15% (v/v) acetonitrile at pH 6.4. The detection limits were 2 microM for Cr(III) and 3 microM for Cr(VI) and linear plots were obtained in a concentration range of 5-200 microM. The utility of the method was demonstrated for the determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in contaminated soils.     

Speciation studies by capillary electrophoresis- Simultaneous determination of chromium(III) and chromium(VI)

A method for the simultaneous determination of chromium(III) and chromium(VI) by capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been developed. The chromium(III) has been chelated with 1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA) in order to impart a negative charge and similar mobility to both the chromium(III) and the chromium(VI) species. The effects of the amount of the reagent, pH and heating time required to complete the complexation have been studied. Factors affecting the CE behaviour such as the polarity of electrodes and the pH of electrophoretic buffer have been investigated. The separated species have been monitored by direct UV measurements at 214 nm. The detection limits achieved are 10 microg/l for Cr(VI) and 5 microg/l for Cr(III) and linear detector response is observed up to 100 mg/l. The procedure has been applied to the determination of both chromium species in industrial electroplating samples and its accuracy was checked by comparing the results (as total chromium) with those of atomic absorption spectrometry. No interference occurred from transition metal impurities under optimized separation conditions. The method is also shown to be feasible for determining Cr(III) as well as other metal ions capable to form complexes with CDTA (like iron(III), copper(II), zinc(II) and manganese(II)) in pharmaceutical preparations of essential trace elements.     

Ion-pair chromatographic determination of chromium(VI)

Ion-pair chromatography (IPC) with conductometric detection was investigated as a precise and selective analytical method for the determination of chromium in electro-plating solutions and waste waters. Chromatographic parameters were optimized for separation of Cr(VI) and SO(2-)(4). The analytical column (100 x 6 mm) was packed with 10 mum silasorb C(18) (Czechoslovakia). Tetrabutylammonium butyrate (TBAB), at pH 7.0 in acetonitrile-water (18:82 v/v) mixture, was used as the eluent. Two samples of solution are taken for the analysis. In the first of them the amount of Cr(VI) is determined, in the second one Cr(III) is oxidized to Cr(VI) with H(2)O(2) in alkaline medium and the total amount of Cr is determined. From the difference of the two obtained results the concentration of Cr(III) is calculated. The detection limit of Cr(VI) is 0.1 mug/ml and the relative standard deviation (at the 1.0 mug/ml) is 4.0%. The IPC results for chromium agreed closely with these obtained by spectrophotometry.     

Spectrophotometric determination of chromium (VI) with Methylene Blue

The interaction of Cr(VI) and the thiazine dye Methylene Blue has been examined. The ion-associate formed is extractable into 1,2-dichlorethane. The optimum conditions have been established, and values obtained for the conditional extraction constant K'(ex), distribution constant K'(D) and association constant beta'. A sensitive and selective method for determination of microquantities of Cr(VI) in soils and alloys is suggested.     

Speciation studies by capillary electrophoresis- Simultaneous determination of chromium(III) and chromium(VI)

A method for the simultaneous determination of chromium(III) and chromium(VI) by capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been developed. The chromium(III) has been chelated with 1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA) in order to impart a negative charge and similar mobility to both the chromium(III) and the chromium(VI) species. The effects of the amount of the reagent, pH and heating time required to complete the complexation have been studied. Factors affecting the CE behaviour such as the polarity of electrodes and the pH of electrophoretic buffer have been investigated. The separated species have been monitored by direct UV measurements at 214 nm. The detection limits achieved are 10 g/l for Cr(VI) and 5 g/l for Cr(III) and linear detector response is observed up to 100 mg/l. The procedure has been applied to the determination of both chromium species in industrial electroplating samples and its accuracy was checked by comparing the results (as total chromium) with those of atomic absorption spectrometry. No interference occurred from transition metal impurities under optimized separation conditions. The method is also shown to be feasible for determining Cr(III) as well as other metal ions capable to form complexes with CDTA (like iron(III), copper(II), zinc(II) and manganese(II)) in pharmaceutical preparations of essential trace elements.