title: Determination of nanomolar concentrations of phosphate in natural waters using flow injection with a long path length liquid waveguide capillary cell and solid-state spectrophotometric detection.
abstract: A flow injection manifold incorporating a 1m liquid waveguide capillary cell and a miniature fibre-optic spectrometer for the determination of low phosphorus concentrations in natural waters is reported. The limit of detection (blank+3 S.D.) was 10nM using the molybdenum blue chemistry with tin(II) chloride reduction. The sensitivity of the flow injection manifold was improved by 100-fold compared with a conventional 1cm flow cell. The response was measured at 710nm and background corrected by subtracting the absorbance at 447nm. Interference from silicate was effectively masked by the addition of 0.1% (m/v) tartaric acid and results were in good agreement (P=0.05) with a segmented flow analyser reference method for freshwater samples containing 1muM phosphate.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK; Cross Institute Programme for Sustainable Soil Function (SoilCIP), Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), North Wyke Research Station, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gimbert
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Haygarth
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Worsfold