Determination of sulfur, boron and phosphorus in leaf tissue by inductively coupled plasma atomic emision spectrometry

Abstract

The photocolorimetrics techniques traditionally used for quantification of phos-phorus, sulfur and boron, presented from the point of view serious analyticallimitations: development time and low color stability, for example, difficult toread, and the use of highly reactive toxic affecting health and environmentalquality. Therefore in this study the technique of atomic emission spectroscopywas optimized by coupling inductive plasma and optical detection to determinethe content of phosphorus, sulfur and boron in leaf tissue of banana in Maqueñoand Dominico varieties cultivated in the province of El Oro and roses in theHíbridas de Té and Grandiflora varieties, crops in Cotopaxi province. The quan-tification of the analytes in the different crops and varieties reveals whether ornot these are within the limits as appropriate for the normal development ofthe plants in relation to phosphorus, sulfur and boron. The average content ofphosphorus, sulfur and boron in the samples of banana Dominico variety was0,48 and 0,38% and 44 mg/kg respectively, and 0,50 and 0,39% and 44 mg/kgin Maqueño variety. In the case of leaf tissue roses Grandiflora variety in thevalues correspond to 0,39 and 0,30% and 40 mg/kg for phosphorus, sulfur andboron, and finally for Híbridas de Té variety, the content of phosphorus, sulfurand boron was 0,46 and 0,36% and 42 mg/kg. When considering the numberof samples tested, amount of reagents and time taken it can be concluded thatthe technique of atomic emission spectroscopy by coupling inductive plasmaand optical detection offers a number of advantages: it allows the simultaneousanalysis of analytes, has a low susceptibility to chemical interferences due tohigh working temperatures and therefore reached the limits are suitable forquantification of phosphorus, sulfur and boron in leaf tissue.