Spectrofluorimetric determination of trace amounts of molybdenum in pig liver and mussels

A new fluorescent reagent, 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehydene-8-aminoquinoline (H NAAQ), was synthesized. The fluorescent reaction of this reagent with molyb denum was studied. Based on this chelation, a highly sensitive spectrofluor imetric method was developed for determination of trace amounts of molybden um in a water-ethanol (4:1 v/v) medium at pH 9.2. Under these conditions, t he Mo-HNAAQ complex has excitation and emission maxima at 402 and 450 nm, r espectively. The linear range of the method is from 0 to 30 mug 1(-1) and t he 3 sigma detection limit is 83 ng 1(-1) of molybdenum. Interference of ot her ions was studied. It is necessary to remove the interfering cations thr ough cation exchange. The procedure can easily be carried out and affords g ood precision and accuracy. This method has been successfully applied to th e determination of molybdenum in pig liver and mussels. (C) 2001 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.