1986 Volume 2 Issue 5 Pages 451-455
The application of solvent extraction-inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICPES) to the determination of ng ml-1 level of boron in water is described. Boron is extracted into 2, 6-dimethyl-4-heptanone (DIBK) containing 2-ethylhexane-1, 3-diol and determined by ICPES with BI 249.77nm line. To reduce the boron contamination or memory effect from a spray chamber, Teflon spray chamber is used instead of a conventional glass spray chamber. Mn(VII) and fluoride interfere with the extraction of boron. Large amounts of Os(VIII) increased the background intensity due to the Os 249.84-nm emission line. This spectral interference is removed by addition of reducing agents such as ascorbic acid, titanium trichloride and stannous chloride prior to the extraction. The detection limit (3σ, concentration factor=8) is 0.35ng ml-1. The relative standard deviations are 2.9% for 1μg of boron and 1.8% for 10μg of boron, respectively. The method is applied to the determination of boron in natural waters and geothermal brine.
