Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of calcium and magnesium with chlorphosphonazo-III by flow injection analysis

In this flow-injection method, the total concentration of calcium and magnesium is determined by using triethanolamine/hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 7.0) and chlorphosphonazo-III (CPA-III) in the flow streams, and the concentration of calcium alone is determined by using 1.6×10^?3 M hydrochloric acid and CPA-III in the flow treams. At pH 7.0, medium, the linear calibration ranges were 0–2.00 mg l^?1 for both calcium and magnesium and the detection limits were each 0.02 mg l^?1; at pH 2.2, the linear calibration range for calcium and the detection limit were 0.20–2.00 mg l^?1 and 0.1 mg l^?1, respectively. Injection rates are 200 h. The method is suitable for analyzing natural waters.