Catalysis-Based Fluorometric Method for Semiquantifying Trace Palladium in Sulfur-Containing Compounds and Ibuprofen.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Trace palladium detection is crucial for synthetic materials.
• A fluorometric method using resorufin allyl ether conversion exists but its susceptibility to sulfur interference is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically investigate the interference of sulfur compounds on a palladium-quantifying fluorometric method.
• To assess the method's applicability for palladium bound to sulfur-based materials and in pharmaceutical samples like ibuprofen.

Main Methods:

• A catalysis-based fluorometric assay was employed.
• Various sulfur compounds (thiourea, sulfide, thiol, thiocarbamate) were tested for interference.
• The method's performance was evaluated for palladium detection in sulfur-based scavenger resins and ibuprofen samples.
• Comparison with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was conducted.

Main Results:

• Thiourea was found to interfere with the fluorometric quantification of palladium.
• Sulfide, thiol, and thiocarbamate did not interfere with the method.
• The fluorometric method successfully detected palladium bound to sulfur-based scavenger resin.
• The method demonstrated superior performance over ICP-MS for detecting trace palladium in ibuprofen.

Conclusions:

• The fluorometric method is robust against most common sulfur compounds, with thiourea being the main exception.
• This method offers a rapid, inexpensive, and effective alternative for semiquantifying trace palladium in various matrices, including challenging samples like ibuprofen.
• The technique is suitable for detecting palladium immobilized on sulfur-containing materials.