Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 201-208.doi: 10.11978/2024237CSTR: 32234.14.2024237

• Marine Environmental Protection • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Optimization of rapid ammonia nitrogen determination in seawater using Nessler reagent spectrophotometery

HUANG Chunhui1,2(), WEN Chang1, XIA Qing1, HUANG Weiwei1, WANG Xiangguang3(), YANG Fei1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
    2. Hainan Monitoring Station for Radiation Environment, Haikou 571126, China
    3. Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571126, China
  • Received:2024-12-22 Revised:2025-03-09 Online:2025-09-10 Published:2025-10-14
  • Contact: WANG Xiangguang
  • Supported by:
    Key Research and Development Social Development Project of Hainan Province(ZDYF2022SHFZ084); Key Research and Development High tech Project of Hainan Province(ZDYF2023GXJS165)

Abstract:

The complex salt components in seawater or other saline water may cause turbidity when measuring ammonia nitrogen by Nessler’s reagent colorimetric method. In this study, interference from Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and other ions in seawater was eliminated by precisely matching sample salinity with the dosage of potassium sodium tartrate as a masking agent. The Nessler reagent spectrophotometery for rapid ammonia nitrogen determination was thus optimized. The results indicate that 1% potassium sodium tartrate solution is suitable for ammonia nitrogen determination in samples with salinity below 17.3‰, while 2% potassium sodium tartrate solution can be used for samples with salinity ranging from 4.5‰ to 34.1‰ under experimental conditions. The method’s detection range was 0.1-8.0 mg·L-1, with a detection limit of 0.03 mg·L-1. The spiked recovery rates of samples ranged from 96% to 105%, and the standard deviation of parallel samples was less than 3.94%. The method offers simple operation, a wide linear range, good sensitivity and accuracy, and broad applicability.

Key words: Nessler’s reagent, spectrophotometry, seawater samples, ammonia nitrogen, potassium sodium tartrate

CLC Number: 

  • P761.1