Automated prevalve sample filtration in flow injection analysis: Determination of sulphate in water removing suspended solids and colour before sampling

Abstract

Suspended solids and the presence of organic substances and colour are the main interferences in the turbidimetric spectrophotometric determination of sulphate at 420 nm in water. An automated flow-injection procedure is proposed in which these interferences are automatically removed by using an active carbon filter, which is incorporated in the flow system between the sampler and the sampling valve system. With this automated prevalve sample filter the proposed turbidimetric method gives the same results as a standard flow injection and an automated segmented method where the above mentioned interferences are manually removed prior to sampling. The method is applicable for the analysis of sulphate in surface, ground and domestic waters in the concentration range up to 200 mg/l at a sampling rate of up to 60 samples per hour with a coefficient of variation of better than 1%.