In this table of organic reagents used for determination of inorganic elements and compounds we present the major tests, reagents, and some guidance as to the expected result or method of observation. The abbreviations used here are defined in the abbreviations table in this section. In addition, for brevity, when a determination calls for a spectrophotometric measurement at a particular wavelength, for example at 500 nm, we denote this as: “spec λ = 500 nm.” No wavelength is specified if it is variable, for example, with pH; here we indicate: “spec determination.” When a determination calls for spectrofluorimetric determination, the excitation and emission wavelengths are provided, thus: specf λex = 303.5 nm, λem = 353 nm. Note that a common surfactant used in many of these tests is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, abbreviated (CTAB). Information and data on this and other surfactants commonly used in chemical analysis are provided in Section 6. When relevant, we provide an approximate limit of detection (LOD), and when the uncertainty can vary, this is expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD). Some of the procedures listed here require the use of hazardous chemicals (carcinogens such as benzene, strong acids such as HF). Appropriate precautions must be observed.
While a great deal of the information presented here is from the recent literature, the reader is referred to several excellent reviews and monographs for additional information (Refs. 1–10).
Reagents | Results |
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Aluminum | |
Alizarin red S | Red color develops; spectrophotometric determination preferred |
Aluminon | Lake pigment stabilized with CTAB |
Chrome azurol S | Spec λ; = 500 nm, stabilized with CTAB |
Chromazol KS | Spec λ = 625 nm, stabilized with cetylpyridinium bromide |
Eriochrome cyanine R (also known as mordant blue 3) + CTAB | Red dye lake (pH = 6) stabilized with CTAB |
Eriochrome cyanine R (also known as mordant blue 3) + N,N-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) | Spec determination by use of cationic surfactants |
8-Hydroxyquinoline | Produces tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (Alq3), found in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) |
Bromopyrogallol red + CTAB | Spec λ = 627 nm |
Bromopyrogallol red + nonylphenol tetradecaethylene glycol ether | Spec λ = 612 nm |
Pyrocatechol violet | Spec λ = 578 nm after separation of aluminum from the matrix materials by chloroform extraction of its acetylacetone complex (pH = 6.5), from an ammonium acetate-hydrogen peroxide medium |
2,2′,3,4-Tetrahydroxy-3′,5′-disulfoazobenzene | Spec determination of the binary system (pH = 5) |
Antimony | |
Brilliant green | Isolated as the hexachloroantimonate (V) salt extracted by either toluene or benzene |
Bromopyrogallol red | Used for the determination of antimony (III) with EDTA, cyanide, or fluoride ions as masking agents |
Catechol violet | Ternary complex stabilized with CTAB |
Malachite green (basic green 4) | Isolated as the hexachloantimonate (V) complex after benzene extraction |
Phenyl fluorene | Sensitive color reaction with antimony (III) by use of cationic surfactants |
Potassium iodide | Antimony (III)-iodide complex formation in the presence of ascorbic acid |
Pyrocatechol violet + tridodecylammonium bromide | Spec λ = 530 nm of the ternary complex with antimony (III) |
Rhodamine B | Ion pair or ion association extraction by use of toluene or benzene as solvents |