Potentiometric study of end-point detection in the coulometric determination of carbon dioxide

The coulometric determination of carbon dioxide is based on the alkalimetric titration of the product of absorption of carbon dioxide in an organic solution of monoethanolamine. The processes occurring in various solvents have been investigated and optimized for analytical application. The protolytic reactions of 2-hydroxyethylcarbamic acid have been investigated in 2-propanol + 2, 5 and 10% water, dimethylformamide + 2% water, dimethylsulphoxide +5, 10 and 20% water. In coulometric generation of the base, 0.1M solutions of tetraethylammonium bromide in these solvents were used. The course of the titration was followed potentiometrically with glass and antimony indicator electrodes. From the titration curves the autoprotolysis constants of the mixed solvents and protonation constants of monoethanolamine in them were calculated. These constants and the concentration of monoethanolamine influence the size of the end-point break for the titrations. On this basis, optimal conditions for analysis have been selected and the total carbon content in samples of natural waters has been determined.