FIA acid-base titrations with a new flow-through pH detector.

A pH-sensitive detector for flow-through potentiometry based on a graphite/quinhydrone composite electrode was applied for flow-injection analysis (FIA) titrations. Hydrochloric acid and acetic acid were titrated by injection of samples into a sodium hydroxide carrier solution. System conditions were optimised by variation of flow rate, injection volume and titrant concentration. The parameters sampling frequency, residence time and dispersion coefficient were determined. The evaluation of peak width (time between the two inflection points on each side of the peak), peak area and slope of the raising edge of the peak lead were studied with respect to their use for calibration. Hydrochloric acid and acetic acid could be titrated down to a concentration of 2 x 10(-4) mol L(-1) using 150-microL injection volumes, which is almost ten times lower than can be achieved using colour indicators and a spectrophotometric detection.