Semi-automatic catalytic titration of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and metal ions with the 1,4-dihydroxyphthalimide dithiosemicarbazone— aerial oxygen system as indicator reaction

A semi-automatic spectrophotometric method is described for the catalytic titration of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, based on its inhibitory effect on the manganese (II)catalyzed aerial oxidation of 1,4-dihydroxyphthalimide dithiosemicarbazone. Amounts of EDTA in the 750–4000-μg range can be determined with a relative standard deviation of ca 0. 6% (n = 11). Methods are also described for the indirect catalytic titrations of manganese(II) and nickel(II)in the ranges 20–450 μg and 40–1000 μg, respectively, with relative standard deviations (n = 11) of ca. 1%.     

The trace determination of some heavy metals in waters by flow-injection spectrophotometry and potentiometry

Three automated flow-injection systems are proposed for the determination of traces of manganese(II), lead and copper(II) in waters. The first system utilizes the catalytic effect of manganese(II) on the oxidation of N,N-diethylaniline by potassium periodate at pH 6.86–7.10 (30°C) and is used for spectrophotometric determination at 475 nm in the range 0.02–1.00 μg1^?1; the system involves reagent injection and stopped flow. The determination of lead in the range 0.7–100 μg1^?1 is based on spectrophotometric detection of the lead 4/(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol complex at 525 nm after on-line preconcentration of the sample (5–50 ml) on a minicolumn filled with Chelex-100 or Dowex 1-X8 resin. A potentiometric flow-injection system with a copper ion-selective electrode is applied for the determination of 0.5–1000 μg 1^?1 copper(II) after on-line preconcentration of 50–500 ml of sample on Chelex-100 resin. The procedures are tested on synthetic and real water samples, including sea water and waste-waters.     

Coulometric argentometric determination of microamounts of sulphur in iron and steel after reduction to hydrogen sulphide with iron(II) in strong phosphoric acid medium

A coulometric method was developed for the determination of microamounts of sulphur in iron and steel. Hydrogen sulphide is quantitatively evolved by reduction with iron(II) in strong phosphoric acid medium and is titrated with electrolytically generated silver ion from a silver anode. Microamounts of sulphide (2.96–224.3 μg) in sodium sulphide standard solutions could be determined with an error of only a few percent. Sulphur in a potassium sulphate standard solution is quantitatively reduced to hydrogen sulphide and could be separated from the solution by heating and determined accurately. Trace amounts of sulphur (7–100 μg g^?1) in iron and steels could be determined with a standard deviation of 0.7–2.1 μg g^?1.     

Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of trace manganese (II) with dahlia violet in nonionic microemulsion medium

A new catalytic kinetic spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of trace amount of manganese (II) in nonionic microemulsion medium. The method is based on the catalytic effect of manganese (II) on the oxidation of dahlia violet by potassium periodate with nitrilotriacetic acid as an activitor in the presence of nonionic microemulsion. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graph is linear in the range of 0.0004-0.0056 μg ml⁻¹ of manganese (II) at 580 nm. The detection limit achieved is 3.75×10⁻⁵ μg ml⁻¹. Manganese (II) in foodstuff samples was determined with satisfactory results.     

Determination of manganese with triethanolamine and o-tolidine by conventional and long-path photometry

A very sensitive method for the spectrophotometric determination of manganese is reported. To the sample is added triethanolamine (TEA) and sodium hydroxide to give a pH above 11; after atmospheric oxidation of manganese(II) to the green manganese(III)—TEA complex, sodium pyrophosphate is added and the solution is acidified. Manganese(III) thus forms a complex with pyrophosphate. Then o-tolidine is added and is oxidized in a 2e step to the intensely yellow quinonediimine, while manganese(III) is reduced to manganese(II). The absorbance is measured at 440 nm. The calibration curve is linear up to 1.6 μg Mn ml^-1 in the final solution; the limit of determination is 0.2 μg Mn ml^-1. For the 20-cm path cell, the respective data are 45 ng Mn ml^-1 and 2 ng Mn ml^-1. The only severe interferences are strong oxidants like dichromate or cerium(IV), which are readily reduced with sulfurous acid. Vanadium in amounts up to 2–3 times that of manganese can be dealt with by an appropriate blank solution; larger amounts of vanadium must be removed e.g. by a cupferron extraction.     

Preconcentration and determination of calcium and magnesium in brine with flow-injection systems

On-line preconcentration on a chelating resin (Dowex A-1) and elution with 0.1 M hydorchloric acid is followed by spectrophotometry based on the metal complexes formed with 1- (2-hydroxy-4-diethylamino-1-phenylazo)-2-hydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid. The total concentration of calcium and magnesium is determined; in a second sample, calcium is masked with a ligand buffer containing excess of barium(II) and EGTA, and magnesium is determined. The calcium concentration is measured by difference. Magnesium (1–30 μg l^?1 and calcium (8– 10 μg l^?1) in 2.5 M sodium chloride can be determined. Calcium and magnesium in analytical reagent-grade sodium chloride and potassium chloride and primary standard sodium chloride are aslo determined. The method based on the exchange between calcium ions and Mg(EDTA) is proposed to enchance the sensitivity for calcium.     

An ultrasensitive catalytic method for metal ions and cyanide-containing organic compounds

Ultrasensitive methods are described for the detection and determination of cyanide-containing organic compounds and of various metal ions. The methods are based either on the hydrolysis of the organic compounds to give cyanide ion, which then catalyzes the reduction of o-dinitrobenzene via formation of the cyanohydrin anion of p-nitrobenzaldehyde, or on the inhibition of this catalytic reaction by silver-(I), mercury(II), copper(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) which form cyanide complexes. By these methods, tetracyanoethylene, p-chlorobenzylidine malononitrile, or benzoyl cyanide (0.1–10 μg/ml) may be determined with a deviation of about 2%, and Ag(i). Hg(II) (0.02–0.2 μg/ml), Cu(II) (0.003–0.030 μg/ml), Co(II) (0.06–0.40 μg/ml) and Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) (1–10 μg/ml) can be determined with a deviation of about 3%.     

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of copper in calcium carbonate scale and carbonate rocks by direct atomization of solid samples

Powdered samples (1 mg) are mixed with 1 mg of powdered graphite and copper is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in a miniature graphite cup placed in a graphite crucible. Optimum conditions were drying at 200 °C (30 s), ashing at 900 °C (30 s), atomizing at 2700 °C (15 s) and cleaning at 2800 °C (10 s). Samples were powdered to 1–10 μm particle size. Magnesium, manganese and iron did not interfere. The effect of calcium carbonate was eliminated by the graphite addition. Results for copper (0.5–5 μg g^?1) in the scale and rocks agreed well with values obtained for dissolved samples. Relative standard deviations (n=10) were 4.9% for 1.2 μg g^?1 copper and 14.8% for 0.577 μg g^?1.     

The application of the ph-stat method to metal ion-catalyzed reactions

The pH-stat method, which is well known in organic chemistry and biochemistry, is used for the kinetic determination of metal ion catalysts. Indicator reactions that involve protons can be followed by controlled addition of standard base or acid. This is illustrated by the following examples: determination of copper(II) (0.03–0.3 μg ml^-1) with the indicator reaction ascorbic acid—peroxydisulphate; determination of molybdenum(VI) (0.2–2.5 μg ml^-1) with the indicator reaction thiosulphate—hydrogen peroxide; determination of zirconium(IV) (0.2–2 μg ml^-1) with the indicator reaction iodide—hydrogen peroxide; and determination of vanadium(V) (0.2–2 μg ml^-1) with the indicator reaction iodide—bromate. For one example, the copper—ascorbic acid—peroxydisulphate reaction, it is shown that the pH-stat method has distinct advantages over closed systems, giving considerably better sensitivity for the determination of copper (0.5–5 ng ml^-1 ).     

Kinetic study of the iodate—iodide and chlorate—iodide reactions in acidic solutions,and a method for the microdetermination of bromide

The iodate—iodide and chlorate—iodide reactions were studied spectrophotometrically in acidic solutions by stopped-flow techniques. Intermediate products(I⁺)were followed; reaction rate constants and activation energies of the reactions were determined. A method of determining bromide was developed on the basis of its accelerating effect on the iodate—iodide reaction ; microamounts of bromide in the range 16–320 μg (10^-4–2 × 10^-3M) were determined with relative errors and relative standard deviation of about 2%.bl]     

Substoichiometric isotope-dilution analysis for strontium by liquid-liquid extraction with a macrocyclic crown ether or cryptand

Strontium(II) is substoichiometrically extracted into 1,2-dichloroethane with 1.0 × 10^?4 M cryptand-2.2.2 or 18-crown-6 in the presence of 1.0 ×10.2 M picrate at pH 8–10 or 7–9, respectively. A constant substoichiometric amount of strontium(II) is extracted (relative standard deviation, 0.5%). The method combined with isotope dilution is applied to determine strontium(II) in a seaweed sample (Laminaria religiosa Miyabe); the values obtained were 546 ± 9 μg g^?1 with cryptand-2.2.2 and 546 ± 7 μg g^?1 with 18-crown-6.     

Synthesis of o,o′-dihydroxyazo compounds and their application to the determination of magnesium and calcium by flow injection analysis

Seven _o,o′-dihydroxyazo dyes were synthesized and examined as spectrophotometric reagents for magnesium and calcium. These reagents are highly sensitive for magnesium (? = 47 000) and calcium (? = 39 000 l mol^?1 cm^?1). Of the reagents synthesized, 2-(2-hydroxy-3,6-disulfo-1-naphthylazo)-5-(N,N-diethylamino)phenol was the best because of its ease of preparation and purification, and its stability in alkaline solution. This dye was applied in the determination of magnesium and calcium by flow injection analysis. The total concentration of magnesium (0.1–1.2 mg 1^?1) and calcium (0.4–4.0 mg 1^?1) was determined by masking iron(III), aluminium(III), copper(II), zinc(II), manganese(II) and cadmium(II) with 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (DMP) and triethanolamine (TEA). Magnesium was determined by masking calcium and the other metal ions with a ligand buffer containing barium(II)—EGTA, DMP and TEA. The amount of calcium was obtained as the difference between the two peak heights. Results for the determination of magnesium and calcium in potable water and serum are presented.     

Flow-injection catalytic kinetic determination of manganese using stopped-flow and gradient calibration

Based on the principle of Mn(II) catalysis of the Tiron-hydrogen peroxide reaction, a catalytic kinetic spectrophotometric determination of traces of manganese (ca. 10^?7 M) by flow injection was established. In combination with a microcomputer, by using gradient dilution and the stopped-flow method, onlya single standard solution was needed for calibration. The method has a high selectivity and a sampling rate of 40 h^?1. Traces of manganese in natural water were determined with a maximum relative standard deviation of 5.5% (n = 6).     

Compleximetric titration of chromium (III) with catalytic end-point detection

Chromium (III) (2–20 mg) is determined by reaction with excess of EDTA and backtitration with a standard copper(II) solution to a catalytic end-point. The indicator reaction is the copper (II) -catalyzed autodecomposition of hydrogen peroxide, which is observed biamperometrically. For 10 mg of chromium (III) , the relative standard deviation was < 0.5 % (n=10).     

Potentiometric flow injection determination of manganese(II) by using a hexacyanoferrate(III)-hexacyanoferrate(II) potential buffer

A highly sensitive potentiometric flow injection analysis method for the determination of manganese(II), utilizing a redox reaction with hexacyanoferrate(III) in near neutral media containing ammonium citrate is described. The analytical method is based on the detection of the change in potential of a flow-through type redox electrode detector, resulting from the composition change of an [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻-[Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ potential buffer solution. A linear relationship between the potential change (peak height) and the concentration of manganese(II) was found. Manganese(II) in a wide concentration range from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁷ M could be determined by appropriately altering the concentration of the potential buffer from 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁵ M. The lower detection limit of manganese(II) was determined to be 1×10⁻⁷ M. The sampling rate and relative standard deviation were 20 h⁻¹ and 1.9% (n=8) for 6×10⁻⁶ M manganese(II), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of manganese(II) in actual soil samples obtained from tea fields. Analytical results obtained by the proposed method were in good agreement with those obtained by an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method.     

Determination of total tin in silicate rocks by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A method is described for the determination of total tin in silicate rocks utilizing a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer with a stabilized-temperature platform furnace and Zeeman-effect background correction. The sample is decomposed by lithium metaborate fusion (3 + 1) in graphite crucibles with the melt being dissolved in 7.5% hydrochloric acid. Tin extractions (4 + 1 or 8 + 1) are executed on portions of the acid solutions using a 4% solution of trioctylphosphine oxide in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Ascorbic acid is added as a reducing agent prior to extraction. A solution of diammonium hydrogenphosphate and magnesium nitrate is used as a matrix modifier in the graphite furnace determination. The limit of detection is > 10 pg, equivalent to > 1 μg l^?1 of tin in the MIBK solution or 0.2–0.3 μg g^?1 in the rock. The concentration range is linear between 2.5 and 500 μg l^?1 tin in solution. The precision, measured as relative standard deviation, is < 20% at the 2.5 μg l^?1 level and < 7% at the 10–30 μg l^?1 level of tin. Excellent agreement with recommended literature values was found when the method was applied to the international silicate rock standards BCR-1, PCC-1, GSP-1, AGV-1, STM-1, JGb-1 and Mica-Fe. Application was made to the determination of tin in geological core samples with total tin concentrations of the order of 1 μg g^?1 or less.     

Selective Indicator Reaction for Kinetic Determination of Traces of Manganese(II), Ribavirin and Tiazofurin

 In this work it was established that, in the presence of ammonium carbonate, traces of manganese(II) catalyse the oxidation of Nile Blue A by hydrogen peroxide, which enables its kinetic determination in the concentration range from 6.6 to 65.9 ng cm⁻³, the detection limit being 8.0 × 10⁻² ng cm⁻³. Antiviral/antitumour substances modify the catalytic activity of manganese(II): 1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide, ribavirin, increases the catalytic effect of manganese(II), while 2-β-D-ribofuranosyl-thiazole-4-carboxamide, tiazofurin, acts as an inhibitor. On the basis of these effects, a kinetic method for determining ribavirin concentrations from 0.5 × 10⁻¹ to 4.0 × 10⁻¹ μg cm⁻³ and tiazofurin concentrations from 0.3 to 2.6 μg cm⁻³ is proposed. The kinetics of the indicator reaction were studied in the presence of the substances examined, the kinetic equations established, and the constants of the corresponding reaction rates calculated. The effect of temperature on these reactions was also investigated. The method was applied to the determination of manganese(II) in mineral water and ribavirin in pharmaceutical preparations. Received December 16, 1999. Revision June 6, 2000.     

Flow-injection photometric determination of manganese(II) based on its catalysis of the periodate oxidation of N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)tolidine

A novel flow-injection spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of manganese(II) at sub-nanogram/ml levels. The method is based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)tolidine (HSPT) by periodate. The catalytic effect of manganese(II) was enhanced by the presence of 2,2′-bipyridine as an activator. By monitoring the change in absorbance of the oxidation product of HSPT at 670 nm, manganese(II) ranging 0.02-3.0 ng ml⁻¹ could be determined with the relative standard deviations of less than 2%. The interfering ions were effectively suppressed by the addition of 2,2′-iminodiethanol and citric acid. The proposed method is directly applicable to the determination of manganese in lake and river water samples.     

Simultaneous Determination of Three Flavonoids in Rat Plasma by RP-LC After Oral Administration of the Total Flavonoids of Scutellaria barbata

A liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of three flavonoids, scutellarin (SCU), isoscutellarein-8-O-glucuronide (ISO) and luteolin (LUT) in rat plasma was developed and validated. Following a single-step liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, the analytes and internal standard (IS) (rutin) were successfully separated on a Diamonsil C₁₈ column using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile (A)–0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution (B) (0–5 min, 20% A–29% A; 5–25 min, 29% A, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1. The linear range was 0.044–2.20 μg mL^?1 for SCU, 0.042–2.08 μg mL^?1 for ISO, and 0.056–2.80 μg mL^?1 for LUT, with the correlation coefficients of 0.9995, 0.9989 and 0.9963, respectively. The limit of quantification of SCU, ISO and LUT were 44, 41.6 and 56 ng mL^?1, respectively. The accuracy of assay was between 88.4 and 103.0%. The inter-day and intra-day precisions (RSD) were less than 10.5%. The developed method was simple, rapid and applied successfully to study the pharmacokinetics of SCU, ISO and LUT after oral administration of the total flavonoids of Scutellaria barbata.     

Complexometric catalytic titrations using the indicator reaction periodate-triethanolamine

The possibility of applying a new indicator reaction, i.e., periodate-triethanolamine, as the indicator in titrations of ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetracetic acid (EDTA), 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid (DCTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) with standard manganese(II) sulfate solution (phosphate buffer pH 6.84) has been investigated. The titration course was followed potentiometrically using a perchlorate ion-selective electrode. The optimum conditions for determinations in relation to concentration of the indicator reaction components have been established. Furthermore, the influence of some ions on the possibility of EDTA determination was considered and maximally tolerable concentrations under these conditions were established. The amounts of 0.170–18.00 mg of EDTA, 0.150–16.00 mg of DCTA, and 0.180–19.00 mg of DTPA were determined with a maximal relative standard deviation less than 1.0%. Results are in good agreement with those of comparable methods. Finally, the experimental catalytic titration curves obtained in this way are compared to the simulated ones.