SENSITIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC KINETIC DETERMINATION OF OSMIUM BY CATALYSIS OF THE PYROGALLOL RED BROMATE REACTION

Osmium(VIII) is determined by means of its catalytic effect on the oxidation of pyrogallol red (PGR) by potassium bromate at pH 6.0, 30-degrees-C and 545 nm. The decrease in absorbance of PGR (2.5 x 10(-5) M) in the presence of KBrO3 (0.20 M) over a period of 0-150 s is proportional to the concentration of osmium(VIII) over the range 0-1400 ng ml-1. The limit of detection of osmium was 0.65 ng ml-1. The precision and accuracy of the method are described. The effects of the presence of 45 cations and anions on osmium determination were studied. The effects of probable interferences were completely removed by a single extraction of osmium as osmium tetraoxide into isobutyl methyl ketone and back-extraction into sodium hydroxide solution.