University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Electrochemical method for the determination of phosphate in natural water

Cox, James A.; Lundquist, Gary L.

Content Files
CoxLundquist_1972.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/90404

Description

Title
Electrochemical method for the determination of phosphate in natural water
Author(s)
  • Cox, James A.
  • Lundquist, Gary L.
Contributor(s)
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Issue Date
1972-11
Keyword(s)
  • Water resource development--Illinois
  • Water resource development
  • Water quality
  • Trace analysis
  • Phosphates
  • Electrochemical reactions
  • Pollutant identification
  • Chemical analysis
Date of Ingest
2016-06-30T01:07:49Z
Geographic Coverage
Illinois (state)
Abstract
The objective of this project was to develop a method for the determination of phosphate in natural water which would be an improvement over the presently accepted spectrophotometric technique in terms of detection limit and freedom from interference. Cathodic stripping chronopotentiometry was found to be an analytically sensitive method for phosphate analysis. The technique is based upon the reversible oxidation of a metallic indicator electrode to an insoluble phosphate salt film. When copper is used as the indicator electrode, the detection limit is 10 ppb. Control of the pH at 6.0 and removal of oxygen from the solution eliminates anticipated interferences in natural water samples. The major drawback of the method is that under the electrolysis conditions employed, salt of mixed stoichiometry is deposited which subsequently results in two separate stripping steps. When mercury is the indicator electrode, the system approaches true Nernstian behavior, so a detection limit considerably below 10 ppb is anticipated. However, an observed interference of chloride ion has, to the present, limited application of the electrode to solutions containing phosphate in excess of 50 ppb.
Publisher
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Water Resources Center
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90404
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
  • U.S. Department of the Interior
  • U.S. Geological Survey
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1972 held by James A. Cox,Gary L. Lundquist

Owning Collections

Illinois Water Resources Center - Water Quality PRIMARY