Preconcentration with chromatomembrane cell and adsorptive polarographic determination of fluorine in air

The present paper describes a procedure in which fluorine in the air was preconcentrated in a chromatomembrane cell and its content was determined by adsorptive polarography. In a pH 4.90 buffer solution the fluorine ion can form a ternary complex with La(III) and ALC. The complex can be adsorbed at the mercury electrode and yields a sensitive oscillopolarographic wave at -0.67 V, which can be sensitized by Triton X-100. Over the range 3.0x10(-8)-1.60x10(-6) M, the peak currents are linearly proportional to the concentration of the fluoride. The detection limit is 1.0x10(-8) M. First the fluorine in the air samples was preconcentrated in the chromatomembrane cells using 0.10 M NaOH solution, then its content was determined by complex-adsorptive polarography.