Determination of Nitrates in Water Samples by In-Electrode Coulometric Titration in Copper Coated Porous Vitreous Carbon Electrode

Nitrate in water samples was determined by in-electrode coulometric titration in porous electrode made of vitreous carbon particles coated with copper. The sample was mixed with diluted sulfuric acid containing 1 mmol/L hydrochloric acid, the solution was filled into the cell and electrode and the nitrate ions were directly reduced by constant current to ammonium ions. The stoichiometry of the electrode reaction was found by coulometric and photometric measurements. The detection limit and precision were found to be 0.2 mg/L and 1.7 %, respectively. The interfering effect of high chloride contents was eliminated by precipitating chlorides with silver sulfate. The method was applied for the analysis of various water samples and beverages. The results were in good agreement with data from isotachophoretic and photometric measurements.