Determination of fluorine in organic compounds

The accurate micro determination of fluorine in organic compounds is of significant interest to a wide array of industries including food and beverages, environmental monitoring, medical, pharmaceutical and polymers.

Offered by Warwick Analytical Service (WAS) as an analytical service, analysis of fluorine is carried out by combustion of an accurately weighed sample in a silica oxygen flask over an accurately measured volume of water and Tisab buffer solution.

A fluoride ion selective electrode is used to directly measure the potential of a range of fluoride solutions.

The potential of the combusted samples are measured under the same conditions.

The concentrations of the sample solutions are calculated from the derived calibration curve.

Sets of work typically include certified reference materials or organic analytical standards.

Results from these standards and the electrode response are monitored to detect trends in the method.

Operating in an ISO 17025 and GMP accredited environment, Warwick Analytical Service has developed proprietary analytical procedures to enable accurate and precise data to be produced for all types of samples including samples with trace levels of fluorine.

From extensive method validation typical results are within the +/-0.3% absolute limits considered acceptable for micro chemical analysis.

The WAS method can detect 0.01ppm fluoride which is equivalent to 0.02% in a 10mg sample.

WAS has developed special procedures to remove interferences from samples containing boron, calcium or sulphur.

Asked about the new methodology, Rebekah Vine, laboratory manager, commented: "Fluorine analysis is one of our specialities that have been refined over many years.

"A growing number of organisations, especially in highly regulated areas such as the pharmaceutical, environmental and healthcare industries, are asking for a higher level of compliance to QC procedures including better traceability on all data supplied.

"The recent achievement of GMP accreditation status shows our high level of commitment towards maintaining top quality standards".