Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of phosphate and silicate by using partial least squares method

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Abstract

A very sensitive, simple and selective spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of phosphate and silicate based on formation of phospho- and silicomolybdenum blue complexes in the presence of ascorbic acid is described. Although the complexes of phosphate and silicate with reagent show a spectral overlap, they have been simultaneously determined by partial least squares (PLS). The linear range was 0.01-2.80 μg ml-1 for phosphate and 0.02-3.00 μg ml-1 for silicate. Interference effects of common anions and cations were studied and the proposed method was also applied satisfactorily to the determination of phosphate and silicate in synthetic detergents.

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