[Catalytic spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of copper with the system of ascorbic acid and ammonium molybdate].

Ammonium molybdate was reduced to molybdenum blue by ascorbic acid in the medium of phosphorous acid in the presence of copper catalyst. A new method for catalytic spectrophotometric determination of trace copper has been developed. The linear range was 0-0.024 microgram.25 mL-1. The limit of detection was 1.54 x 10(-11) g.mL-1. The method has been used to determine trace copper in human hair with satisfactory results.