Determination of the complex formation constants for some water-soluble polymers with Ttrivalent metal ions by differential pulse polarography

The formation of metal complexes between water-soluble polymers, poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA], poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) [PVP], poly(acrylamide) [PAAm] and poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO] with trivalent metal ions, Fe3+, Cr3+, and V3+ were studied by using differential pulse polarography (DPP). The general experimental observation is the shift of totally reversible reduction peaks (M3++Hg+e–M2++Hg) towards more negative potentials when the complexing water-soluble polymers are added to the solution of trivalent metal ions. The negative shift in potential permitted the determination of complex formation constants (Kf) between trivalent metal ions and water soluble polymers. The complex formation constants for Fe3+, Cr3+, and V3+ ions with these polymers increased in the order of V3+>Cr3+>Fe3+.