Open AccessDetermination of nitrate content in whey and milk powders at a dairy after an occupational accident with nitric acid.
Author(s) -
Olle Nygren
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.621
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.2473
Subject(s) - nitrate , nitrite , nitric acid , chemistry , methyl isobutyl ketone , atomic absorption spectroscopy , copper , environmental chemistry , ketone , extraction (chemistry) , inorganic chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
A case of accidental occupational intoxication by fumes of nitrogen oxides and the application of an indirect method for the analysis of nitrate, nitrite, and nitro groups to establish the origin of the intoxication are presented. The method is based on the formation of a copper neocuproine complex, and extraction of the complex with methyl isobutyl ketone. The amount of copper in the organic phase is directly proportional to the nitrate content. This copper complex is determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results, which showed that samples from the contaminated workroom contained 0.1-0.2% nitrate, while blanks contained less than 0.02%, strongly support the hypothesis proposed for the course of the accident.