Development of a Spectrophotometric Method for Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide using Response Surface Methodology

A spectrophotometric method was introduced for determination of hydrogen peroxide in different samples. The method is based on the hydroxylation of phenol. The reaction takes place in the presence of Fe2+ in the sulfuric acid medium. Factors influencing the reaction were explored by response surface methodology. Inoptimal conditions, a wide linear range for calibration was obtained as 2.0×10-7-3.0×10-4mol L-1 and its detection limit was 9.5×10-8mol L-1. The product of the reaction possesses two bands with maxima located at 245 and 300 nm. The method was successfully applied for determination of hydrogen peroxide in water and rainwater samples.