Determination of Trace Amounts of Boron in Steels by On-line Reaction/Concentration/Separation Using an Anion-exchange Column

Abstract

A method for the on-line absorptiometric determination of trace amounts of boron in steels was developed using an anion-exchange column presorbed with chromotropic acid. The on-line reaction and separation were achieved by controlling the pH in order to accelerate the complex formation in the column by 2.7 and to stabilize the complex at pH 8 for the selective elution of a 1:2 complex and its detection at 350 nm. The effects from the iron matrix in the sample were effectively removed by using EDTA as a masking agent; a low limit for boron detection (3σ) of 0.04 μg g⁻¹ was obtained.