Spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum with phenylfluorone

Spectrophotometric studies on the reaction between molybdenum as molybdate (MoO₄^2?) and phenylfluorone are presented. The reaction conditions are optimized to develop an intense color (molar absorptivity is 3.8 × 10³) selective and sensitive for the Spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum. The absorbance is measured at 560 nm, at a pH of 1.5–3. The colored complex is stable for up to 24 hr, Beer's law is obeyed, over the concentration range of 1 to 4 μg/25 ml. The relative standard deviation is 2% and the sensitivity of the method is 1.60 × 10^?4 mg/ml.