SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF ALUMINUM BY MORIN

A direct spectrophotometric method for the determination of aluminium with morin has been developed. Morin reacts in slightly acidic 50% ethanolic media (0.0001-0.0015 M H2SO4) with Al to give a deep-yellow chelate which has an absorption maximum at 421nm. The average molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity were found to be 5.3 x 10(3) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and 5 ng of Al cm(-2), respectively. The reaction is instantaneous and absorbance remains stable for 48 h. The colour system obeys Beer's law from IO ng ml(-1) to 5.0 mu g ml(-1) of Al; the stoichiometric composition of the chelate is 2:3 (Al:morin). The interference from over 50 cations, anions and complexing agents has been studied at 0.1 mu g ml(-1) of Al. The method was applied successfully to some certified reference material samples (alloys and steels), environmental waters (inland and surface), biological samples (human blood, urine and gallstone), soils and complex synthetic mixtures.