DETERMINATION OF TRACE AMOUNTS OF ALUMINUM IN NATURAL-WATERS BY SOLID-PHASE SPECTROFLUOROMETRY

A spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of trace amounts of aluminium was developed, based on solid-phase spectrofluorimetry. Aluminium reacted with salicylidene-o-aminophenol to form a fluorescent complex that was adsorbed on a dextran-type cation-exchange gel. The fluorescence of the gel, packed in a 1 mm silica cell, was measured directly with use of a solid-surface attachment. The applicable concentration range was from 0.20 to 14.00 mug l-1, with a relative standard deviation of 1.0% and a detection limit of 0.02 mug 1-1. The method was applied to the determination of aluminium in natural waters. The method is more sensitive and selective than that based on salicylidene-o-aminophenol alone.