Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 3 (2025): 1422

 

Research Article

 

Colorimetric determination of boron by distilled borate ester into curcumin-gelatin film

 

Risna Erni Yati Adu1*, Maria Magdalena Kolo1, Wilda Lumban Tobing2 and Felicia Taimenas1

 

1Study Program of Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Health, Universitas Timor, Jalan Km. 09 Sasi, Kefamenanu -NTT, Indonesia

2Study Program of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Health, Universitas Timor, Jalan Km. 09 Sasi, Kefamenanu -NTT, Indonesia

 

*Corresponding author: risnaadu12@unimor.ac.id, adoe.risna@yahoo.com

 

Received: 5 December 2024; Revised: 21 March 2025; Accepted: 11 April 2025; Published: 19 June 2025

 

Abstract

A novel green colorimetric sensor for boron was developed by integrating the isothermal distillation system with the curcumin-gelatin film. In this work, curcumin gelatin films were successfully synthesized in various content of curcumin as signaling device and characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Boron was separated from the sample matrix through isothermal distillation and dehydrated into curcumin-gelatin film to form a red complex compound with color intensity that is proportional to boron content. Film properties such as surface color and tensile strength were improved by increasing curcumin concentration. On the other hand, mechanical and physicochemical characteristics such as water content, swelling index and water solubility decreased along with increasing curcumin concentration. Curcumin concentration has no significant effect on the thermal stability and color brightness of the films. SEM images show an aggregation of gelatin biopolymer matrix when curcumin concentration is increased. Gelatine-Ethanol-Curcumin 2 (GEC2) films showed a good linearity with the coefficient determination (R2) of 0.9918. The three curcumin films give Limit of Detections (LOD) and Limit of Quantifications (LOQ) within the range of 0.11-0.67 mg L-1 and 0.38-2.24 mg L-1 respectively. This proposed method gives precision values for both intra- and inter-day within accepted variable limits (<5% of Relative Standard Deviation) and acceptable recovery between 78.23-92.35 %. Analysis of variance shows that there is no significant difference (calculated f value = 0.002, f table value = 7.7 and df= 4) between boron level determined by UV-Vis Spectrophotometric and colorimetric method in soil samples. These results indicate that the integration of isothermal distillation system with curcumin film can be an alternative method in quantifying boron levels.

 

Keywords: boron, curcumin, colorimetry, film, gelatin

 

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