The tiron radical as indicator substance in catalytic determination of trace metals.

The tiron-hydrogen peroxide reaction used for catalytic determination of trace metals is studied with respect to the indicator substance-the oxidation product of tiron absorbing at 44Onm. Contrary to assumptions in the literature, it is shown by electrochemical techniqus EPR spectroscopy and visible spectrophotometry that the indicator substance is not the o-quinone derivative of tiron (lambda(max) = 372 nm) but the tiron semiquinone radical with a g-value of g(o) = 2.0049 and molar absorptivity = (3.5 +/- 0.5) x 10(3) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 440 nm.