Analytical application of the reaction system disulphonated hydroquinone-hydrogen peroxide for the kinetic spectrophotometric determination of iron traces in acidic media

A simple, rapid, sensitive and selective kinetic spectrophotometric method for determination of Fe(III) traces was elaborated in this paper. It is based on the catalytic effect of Fe(III) ions on oxidation of potassium salt of disulphonated hydroquinone (K2S2Hy) by hydrogen peroxide in acidic media, at a constant ionic strength. At the working temperature of 20?C and the wavelength of 450.0 nm, optimal conditions for determination of iron were found so that iron (III) can be determined by the proposed method in the concentration range of 1.87 to 18.7 ng cm-3. Corresponding RSD values were determined to be in the range 4.22 to 10.33 %. The limit of detection (LOD) calculated in two ways was found to be 1.07 ng cm-3 i.e. 1.11 ng cm-3 Fe(III). In order to assess the selectivity of the method effects of different ions on the reaction rate were also determined. It was found that presence of oxalates and citrates in the w/w ratio to Fe(III) 1:1 under selected experimental conditions interferes with determination of iron. Then the method was applied for determination of Fe(III) traces in white radish juice. The results agreed well with those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry.