Potentiometric Titration of Fluoride Using pH Electrodes

摘要

Sodium fluoride solutions with an initial pH of 4.46 yielded poorly defined endpoint breaks with a pH electrode system and Ce(III) or La(III) as titrants. At this initial pH, however, the fluoride ISE yielded acceptable S-shaped titration curves. At an initial pH of 6.30, both electrode systems and titrant combinations yielded acceptable endpoint breaks and titration curves. While a partially nonaqueous medium (50% methanol) enhanced the steepness of the endpoint breaks, the standard deviation also increased. This was possibly caused by evaporation of some of the solvent. We therefore do not see the necessity for, nor recommend a partially nonaqueous medium. There is no advantage in using Ce(III) rather than La(III) as titrant. Increasing the initial pH from 4.46 to 6.3 decreased the mean normality of the titrant (or increased the titration volume) for both electrode systems and titrants. We therefore recommend that the sodium fluoride standard solutions be adjusted to the same pH as the samples to be determined. For the most accurate results, the standardization should be done with a good approximation of the salt content of the unknown solution. (ERA citation 12:041436)