EXTRACTION-SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF SULFIDE AND SULFITE IN WATERS BASED ON FORMATION OF THE BIS(2,9-DIMETHYL-1,10-PHENANTHROLINE)COPPER(I) ION

A spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of sulphide or sulphite. The bis(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II) ion is reduced at pH 10 by sulphide in the presence of formaldehyde and by sulphide and sulphite in its absence. The resulting copper(I) complex is extracted into chloroform and measured. With any convenient sample volume between 1 and 100 ml, the limits of detection are 0.1 mg for sulphide and 0.25 μg for sulphite. The method is unaffected by iron(II) and nitrite, in concentrations of 100 and 1000 mg l-1, respectively. © 1979.