Use of ascorbic and thioglycollic acids to eliminate interference from iron in the aluminon method for determining aluminium

Abstract

The use of ascorbic and thioglycollic acids as inhibitors for the interference of iron in the aluminon method of Hsu have been examined. The use of ascorbic acid, as proposed by Jayman and Sivasubramaniam, has been found to change iron interference from positive to negative causing aluminium to be underestimated. However, the addition of 0.2 ml of a 1% V/V solution of thioglycollic acid to solutions containing aluminium in amounts ranging from 10 to 50 μg has been proved to suppress the interference from up to 900 μg of iron.