The determination of fluoride in environmentally relevant matrices

Abstract This report covers analytical methods for the determination of total fluoride in gaseous emissions, rain water and aqueous effluents, vegetation, human urine, factory air and environmental air. All the methods are based on final measurement of fluoride by means of the fluoride ion-selective electrode. Interferences which cannot be eliminated by the masking power of the TISAB buffer solution are avoided by separation of fluoride by steam distillation. Decomposition methods are used for vegetation and for samples which may contain insolubles such as stack gases or aqueous effluents. Sampling of fluoride from air is done by alkaline absorption for the high concentration range (stack gases) and by filter methods for low fluoride concentrations, e.g., in factory and environmental air. Detection limits as low as 0.3 μg m −3 fluoride can thus be achieved. The methods were established after the individual analytical procedures, common in the various member countries of CTEF, had been compared. Thus, the most practicable method was selected or an optimized version was designed for full testing. The accuracy of the different methods was verified by comparative tests.