Determination of fluoride in feed mixtures by capillary isotachophoresis

An isotachophoretic (ITP) method for the determination of fluoride in feed mixtures was developed. A sample of feed mixture, after extraction with 1 M HCl, was analysed using a ZKI 02 column-coupling isotachopherograph. Leading electrolytes for presentation and analytical capillaries consisted of 0.008 M HCl-0.022 M -aminocaproic acid (EACA)-0.001 M CaCl₂-0.05% hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and 0.002 M HCl-0.005 M EACA-0.05% HPMC, respectively. The terminating electrolyte was 0.01 M tartaric acid. The fluoride released from samples by microdiffusion in 25% perchloric acid was determined using an Ionosep 900.1 single capillary isotachopherograph with 0.002 M HCl-0.005 M EACA-0.05% HPMC as the leading electrolyte and 0.002 M tartaric acid as the terminating electrolyte. The detection limit, depending on the sample treatment, was as low as 4 μg/g as fluoride. A comparison of the developed ITP method with ion- selective electrode method was carried out.