Automated spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of bromide in water

Abstract

A rapid, sensitive and accurate indirect automated spectrophotometric method for the determination of bromide in natural waters is based on the catalytic effect of bromide on the oxidation of iodine to iodate by potassium permanganate in sulphuric acid solution. Twenty samples per hour can be analysed to levels of 0.01 mg l^–1 of bromide. Samples containing known added amounts of bromide gave values ranging from 94 to 110% of the concentration calculated to be present. Bromide in several samples was determined independently by a similar manual method, and the correlation coefficient was 0.98.