Spectrofluorimetric determination of copper(II) by its static quenching effect on the fluorescence of 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid

A spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of trace Cu(II) in real samples with 4,5-dihydroxy-l,3-benzenedisulfonic acid (Tiron) as a fluorimetric reporter. Tiron is very soluble in water and is a good fluorimetric reagent. However, as Tiron was complexed with Cu(II), the fluorescence intensity decreased proportionally to the concentration of Cu(II) by a static quenching effect. The excitation wavelength and the fluorescence wavelength of Tiron were 294 and 350 nm, respectively, as it was caused by a quenching effect from Cu(II) at pH 8.0. The highest sensitivity was shown at Tiron concentration of 5.0×10−5 M. To enhance the quenching effect, the Cu(II)–Tiron complex solution was heated up to 80°C for 90 min. As for Cu(II), the interference by Co(II) was very serious, which was eliminated by oxalate ion. The linear response to Cu(II) was shown at the concentration range between 5.0×10−7 and 1.0×10−5 M. With this proposed method, the detection limit of Cu(II) was 3.83(±0.09)×10−7 M. Recoveries of Cu(II) in the diluted brass samples and the stream water samples were almost 100%. Based on results from the experiment, this proposed technique could be applied to the practical determination of Cu(II) in real samples.