INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

19-28

Authors: Gupta Swaroopa Rani N

Formaldehyde is widely used in the manufacture of many resins, polymers, and construction materials. It is also used as a preservative, disinfectant, and biocide. Formaldehyde is one of the volatile organic compounds that are widely used in household materials, which is associated with many health risk factors. Acetaldehyde is a Group 1 carcinogen. Propionaldehyde is used in the manufacture of plastics, in the synthesis of rubber chemicals, and as a disinfectant and preservative. Present paper deals with Polarographic determination of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde by external standard addition and internal standard addition method. In alkaline medium it is possible to have well defined and separated waves relative to the reduction of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde. The determination of these aldehydes are carried out effectively in presence of 3.8 x 10-6 % methyl red and 5.94 x 10-7 % bromocresol green as maxima suppressor and 0.025 N lithium hydroxide and 0.0025 N lithium chloride as supporting electrolyte at pH 12 by external standard addition and internal standard addition method. Polarograms of all systems were recorded on Toshniwal manual polarograph using Dropping Mercury Electrode as cathode and Saturated Calomel Electrode as anode. The results of estimation of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde in synthetic solution by external standard addition and internal standard addition methods are found to be accurate and precise with low values of standard deviation.