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Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic determination of ammonium at sub-microgram level in waters and biological fluids following removal of nitrate from sample matrix by zerovalent iron nanoparticles

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Abstract

Experimental parameters were optimized for rapid and precise determination of ammonium ion by FTIR spectroscopy in presence of nitrate ion in water and in samples collected from humans. Nitrates, whose FTIR spectra strongly overlap with those of ammonium ion, were removed from the sample matrix by treating it with zero-valent iron nanoparticles in acidic medium. The infrared peak at 1,400 cm−1 was selected for determination of ammonium ion. Diffuse reflectance FTIR gives both qualitative and quantitative information on ammonium in a KBr matrix. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification of the method are 0.15 ng per 20 µL−1, and 0.5 ng per 20 µL−1, respectively. The relative standard deviation is 6% (n = 8). The results were compared to those of ion chromatography and show a high degree of acceptability. The method can be applied over a wide concentration range using small sample volumes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Head, School of Studies in Chemistry, & Prof. S.K. Saraf, Institute of Pharmacy, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, C.G., India for providing laboratory facilities. The authors are also thankful to Prof. N.L. Phuljhele, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College, Raipur for providing the human biological fluid samples.

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  1. School of Studies in Chemistry, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

    Manas Kanti Deb & Devsharan Verma

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  1. Manas Kanti Deb
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  2. Devsharan Verma
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Correspondence to Manas Kanti Deb.

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Analysis of ammonium by DRS-FTIR technique in human biological fluid and environmental water samples (DOC 72 kb)

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Deb, M.K., Verma, D. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic determination of ammonium at sub-microgram level in waters and biological fluids following removal of nitrate from sample matrix by zerovalent iron nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 169, 23–31 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-010-0308-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-010-0308-2

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