Determination of Chlorine in Gasoline by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry

A new method was studied for the analysis of chlorine in gasoline by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Samples werediluted 1+4 (phi) with kerosene. The intense spectral line for chlorine (134. 724 nm) was used. In order to eliminate carbon and maintain stable plasma, small amounts of oxygen (0. 050 L . min(-1)) were added to the auxiliary gas. The instrumental main condition was optimized in terms of effects of generator power, nebulizer gas flow, auxiliary gas flow, and oxygen flow on SBR for chlorine. Standard addition method was used to compensate matrix effect and signal drift. The recovery for spiking gasoline samples and the limit of detection were in the range of 96. 6%similar to 103. 9% and 0. 27 mg . L-1 respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was between 1. 57% and 4. 49%. Compared with microcoulometry, the analysis results of organic chlorine were basically the same. Moreover, chlorine content, including organic chlorine and inorganic. chloride was determined by ICP-AES. The proposed method had the advantages of simplicity, speediness and sensitivity, and expanded the ICP-AES application in non-metals especially halogen elements. It can be used for the analysis of chlorine in gasoline and provides technical support for quality evaluation.