Tris(o-hydroxyphenyl)phosphine oxide as a colorimetric reagent for the determination of ferric iron

Tris(o-hydroxyphenyl)phosphine oxide is introduced as a new colorimetric reagent for the determination of ferric iron in solutions 0.3–2.5M nitric acid. The only other cation known to interfere in the determination is the ceric ion (Ce⁺⁴). The colour of the complex is stable and is found to obey Beer's law over a wide concentration range.