Silver nitrate solutions Argentometric methods

Argentometric titration involves the titrimetric determination of an analyte using silver nitrate solution as titrant. Its application in environmental analysis is limited to the determination of chloride and cyanide in aqueous samples. The principle of the method is described below. 

Most applications of precipitation titrations are based on the use of a standard silver nitrate solution and are therefore sometimes called argentometric methods (Table 1). 

Argentometric titration method has been applied to the determination of sulfonamide mixtures. The sulfonamides are quantitatively precipitated by the addition of excess standard silver nitrate solution, the precipitated silver salts removed by filtration, and the excess silver nitrate titrated with standard ammonium thiocyanate using ferric alum as indicator (32). 

Ag+ preferentially reacts with the analyte to form a soluble salt or complex. During this addition, Ag+ reacts with the analyte only, and not the indicator. But when all the analyte is completely consumed by Ag+ and no more of it is left in the solution, addition of an excess drop of silver nitrate titrant produces an instant change in color because of its reaction with the silver-sensitive indicator. Some of the indicators used in the argentometric titrations are potassium chromate or dichlorofluorescein in chloride analysis and p -dime thy la m i nobe nzalrho da n i nc in cyanide analysis. Silver nitrate reacts with potassium chromate to form red silver chromate at the end point. This is an example of precipitation indicator, where the first excess of silver ion combines with the indicator chromate ion to form a bright red solid. This is also known as Mohr method. 

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