Spectrophotometric reaction rate method for determination of barbituric acid by inhibition of the hydrochloric acid-bromate reaction

A new kinetic-spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of barbituric acid. The method is based on its inhibition effect on the reaction between hydrochloric acid and bromate. The decolorization of methyl orange by the reaction products was used to monitor the reaction spectrophotometrically at 510 nm. The variable affecting the rate of the reaction was investigated. The method is simple, rapid, relatively sensitive and precise. The limit of detection is 7.9 x 10(-7) M and calibration rang is 1 x 10(-6) -6.0 x 10(-4) M barbituric acid. The linearity range of the calibration graph is depends on bromate concentration. The relative standard deviation of seven replication determination of 5.6 x 10(-6) M barbituric acid was 1.8%. The influence of potential interfering substance was studied. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.