Determination of boron by flow injection analysis using a conductivity detector

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Accurate boron determination is vital for water quality assessment.
• Traditional methods for boron analysis can be complex and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and sensitive flow injection method for boron determination.
• To validate the method for light and heavy water samples.

Main Methods:

• A flow injection analysis system coupled with a conductivity detector was employed.
• Boron reacts with mannitol, liberating H+, which is detected conductometrically.
• A two-step pretreatment procedure effectively removes interfering ions.

Main Results:

• Linear calibration curves were obtained for boron concentrations from 0-20 μg/mL.
• The method demonstrated high precision with relative standard deviations of ±0.25% (light water) and ±0.38% (heavy water).
• Low limits of detection were achieved: 0.01 μg for light water and 0.1 μg for heavy water.

Conclusions:

• The developed flow injection method provides a reliable and efficient means for boron quantification.
• The pretreatment strategy effectively eliminates common ionic interferences.
• This method is suitable for analyzing boron in various water matrices, including light and heavy water.