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The Copper Content of Sea-water

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

W. R. G. Atkins
Affiliation:
Head of the Department of General Physiology at the Plymouth Laboratory

Extract

1. On comparing the potassium ethyl xanthate and the sodium diethyldithio-carbamate methods for estimating copper the latter was found to be preferable because (a) It is at least twice as delicate, (b) The reagent is absolutely colourless, (c) In very dilute solution ferric iron causes little or no disturbance.

2. Estimation of copper may be carried out by electro-deposition from one litre of sea-water at about 90-100° C. for three hours at 2.0 volts with subsequent re-solution and colorimetric estimation using the carbamate method.

3. In agreement with the spectroscopic determinations of Dieulafait in 1879, it was found that sea-water contains about 10 mg. per cubic metre of copper.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1932

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References

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