DETERMINATION OF TOTAL PHOSPHORUS IN SEDIMENTS BY MEANS OF HIGH-PRESSURE BOMBS AND ION CHROMATOGRAPHY

The traditional standard method for the determination of total phospho rus is performed by oxidizing of phosphorus to phosphate in a strong a cidic media. The determination of total phosphorus in natural waters u sing potassium persulphate provides an alkaline environment optimum fo r breaking the phosphorus bonds under high pressure and temperature. T his work describes a methodology for the determination of total phosph orus in sediments using a mixture of potassium persulphate and NaOH. A Dionex Model 2000i/SP ion chromatograph, with an anion pre-column (Di onex AG4A), an anion separator column (Dionex AS4A), a suppressor colu mn (Dionex AMMS-II) and a conductivity detector was used. The mobile p hase (2 ml min(-1)) was 1.7 mM NaHCO3-1.8 mM Na2CO3. Results were comp ared with the traditional HCl method showing a relative standard devia tion of 5%. Precision of the proposed methodology between 5 samples an alyzed by triplicate was 4.61%. The method is of low cost and has an e asy procedure.