SENSITIVE FLOW-INJECTION SPECTROFLUOROMETRIC METHOD TO DETERMINE ALUMINUM(III) IN WATER

A room-temperature flow injection-spectrofluorimetric method is presented for the determination of Al(III), based on the use of Eriochrome Red B in the presence of H2MTA+-HMTA (HMTA = hexamethylenetetramine) or HOAc-OAc- buffer. Various chemical and physical variables affecting the reaction in the flow system were evaluated. The proposed method is very sensitive. with a detection limit of 0.3 ng ml-1 and a precision at the 20 ng ml-1 level of 2.5%. The calibration range is linear up to 1-mu-g ml-1. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of Al(III) in tap and mineral waters.