A method for simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of total iron, iron(II) and iron(III) in mixtures containing other metal ions has been described. The method is based on the complexation of iron with di-2-pyridyl ketone benzoylhydrazone (DPKBH) in 50% (v/v) ethanolic solution. Iron(II) complex with DPKBH exhibits two absorption maxima at 360 and 650 nm. meanwhile iron(II1) complex with DPKBH exhibits only one maximum at 360nm. Iron(II) and iron(III) complexes with DPKBH have similar behaviour at 360nm. Iron forms 1:2 complexes with the reagent. Beer's laws are obeyed over the ranges 0.1-2 μgml-1 and 0.4-5 μgrn1-l for iron(II) complexes at 360 and 650nm respectively. Iron(III) showed results similar to those obtained for iron(II) at 360nm. The effect of pH, effect of excess reagent. the stability of complexes. and the tolerance limit of many metal ions have been reported. The method is applied to the determination of total iron, iron(I1). and iron(II1) in synthetic solutions.

Spectroscopy Letters, Volume 22, Issue 9 November 1989 , pages 1203 - 1214