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A facile spectrophotometric method for the determination of selenium
H D Revanasiddappa1, T N Kumar
1Department of Chemistry, University of Mysore, Manasagangothri, Mysore-570 006, India. hdrevanasiddappa@yahoo.com
Summary
This study introduces a rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method for detecting trace selenium using Variamine Blue (VB). The new technique accurately quantifies selenium in diverse real-world samples, including water, soil, and biological materials.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Accurate determination of trace selenium is crucial for environmental monitoring and human health.
- Existing spectrophotometric methods may lack sensitivity or speed for analyzing complex matrices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a rapid, sensitive, and reliable spectrophotometric method for trace selenium determination.
- To assess the applicability of the proposed method for analyzing selenium in various real-world samples.
Main Methods:
- Spectrophotometric analysis utilizing Variamine Blue (VB) as a chromogenic reagent.
- Reaction involving selenium, potassium iodide, and VB in an acidic medium, producing a violet-colored species.
- Optimization of reaction conditions and evaluation of analytical parameters, including molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity.
Main Results:
- The method demonstrated high sensitivity with a molar absorptivity of 2.6 x 10(4) l mol-1 cm-1 and Sandell's sensitivity of 0.003 microgram cm-2.
- Beer's law was obeyed for selenium concentrations ranging from 2-20 µg in 10 ml.
- The method showed successful application in determining selenium in water, soil, plant materials, human hair, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical preparations, with evaluation of interfering ions.
Conclusions:
- The developed spectrophotometric method offers a rapid, sensitive, and effective approach for trace selenium quantification.
- The method's robustness and applicability to diverse real samples make it valuable for various analytical fields.