Exploiting monosegmented flow analysis to perform in-line standard additions using a single stock standard solution in spectrophotometric sequential injection procedures

Abstract

The robustness of sequential injection analysis (SIA) was combined with the monosegmented flow analysis (MSFA) approach, in which there is no dispersion of the reaction zone with carrier, to develop a methodology to perform in-line dilution. This approach allows one to know accurately the dilution of sample and reagent inside the monosegment, without the need for determination of dispersion coefficients. As a consequence, the methodology allowed the mechanization of procedures to perform standard additions and to construct analytical curves using a single stock standard solution, with very simple and conventional computation of the sample concentration. The method was illustrated with experiments using the bromothymol blue (BTB) dye, in which no reactions are involved, as well as with the spectrophotometric methodology for determination of Fe(II) using o-1,10-phenanthroline as chromogenic reagent. The resulting method presented a sampling frequency of 30 analyses per hour and a detection limit of 25 μg l −1.