Determination of boron in water samples at nanograms per cubic decimeter levels by reversed-phase partition high-performance liquid chromatography with precolumn complexation reaction using salicylaldehyde and 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonate

A new method for the highly sensitive and selective determination of boron at nanograms per cubic decimeter levels has been developed based on the derivatization reaction of boron using salicylaldehyde and 1-amino-8-naphtol-3,6-disulfonate with reversed-phase partition high-performance liquid chromatography. A detection limit as low as 2.0 nmol/dm(3) (22 ng/dm(3)) was achieved without any preconcentration. No significant interference was observed in the determination of 16 mu mol/dm(3) of boron with the addition of nine metal ions (Al(III), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Mn(II), V(V), Zn(II)) at concentrations 100 times greater than that of boron without any masking procedure. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of boron in river water, tap water, doubly distilled water, and highly purified water.