A novel flow-based strategy for implementing differential kinetic analysis Original Research Article

Differential kinetic analysis can be implemented in a multi-pumping flow system, and this was demonstrated in relation to an improved spectrophotometric catalytic determination of iron and vanadium in Fe–V alloys. The method exploited the influence of Fe(II) and V(IV) on the rate of iodide oxidation by Cr(VI) under acidic conditions; therefore the Jones reductor was needed. The sample was inserted into an acidic KI stream that acted also as carrier stream, and a Cr(VI) solution was added by confluence. Successive measurements were performed during sample passage through the detector, each one related to a different yet reproducible condition for reaction development. Data treatment involved multivariate calibration by the PLS algorithm. The proposed system is very simple and rugged, allowing about 50 samples to be run per hour, meaning 48 mg KI per determination. The first two latent variables carry ca. 94% of the analytical information, pointing out that the intrinsic dimensionality of the data set is two. Results are in agreement with inductively coupled argon plasma–optical emission spectrometry.