An Improved Liquid Chromatographic Method for Determination of Aluminium in Sodium and Potassium Chloride Brine using Spectrophotometric Detection

Abstract

The quality of feed brine solution required for a modern chlor-alkali plant equipped with membrane cell is much more stringent. The electrical efficiency of the membrane is easily compromised by the presence of various anionic and cationic impurities [1]. Aluminium is one the impurity which will form alumino silicate precipitate when reacts with silicate. This will affect the membrane performance and sometimes even damages the membrane. Hence monitoring and controlling aluminium concentration is very crucial. There are many techniques and methods available for aluminium determination [2-5]. However many techniques fails to quantify aluminium concentration in trace level, especially in brine sample matrix. Chelation chromatography is one of the liquid chromatography techniques which can be used to quantify Aluminium in trace level using spectrophotometric detection [6-8]. The proposed method can be used to quantify trace level of aluminium in brine sample matrix. Aluminium forms complex with 8-hydroxy quinoline and detected using spectrophotometric detection method. This method does not require any derivatization.