A nanosilver-based spectrophotometric method for sensitive determination of methyl violet in river water

Abstract

A method is reported for the determination of methyl violet in the range of 10–120 nmol L⁻¹. The method is based on the catalytic effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the oxidation reaction of methyl violet by potassium bromate in acid medium. The reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the change in absorbance () at 620 nm using a fixed time method. The reaction variables were optimized in order to achieve highest sensitivity. The 3б criterion detection limit was 5 nmol L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation for ten replicate determinations at a concentration of methyl violet of 15 nmol L⁻¹ was 0.97% (n = 10). The method was successfully applied to the determination of methyl violet in river water samples.

Keywords:

• methyl violet
• silver nanoparticles
• spectrophotometry
• river water