Analysis ofpentachlorophenol and its sodium salt by infrared spectrophotometry.

Pentachlorophenol and its sodium salt known as "China dust" is mainly used for wood preservation.

In Brazil sodium pentachlorophenate has caused problems in the environment and this pointed the necessity of adequated analytical methodology.

There are analytical methods for sodium pentachlorophenate and pentachlorophenol but they are not satisfactory.

We developt an jnfrared spectrophotometric method that has good performance for determining pentachlorophenol and its sodium salt.

KEY-WORDS:
Pentachloropnenol; sodium pentachlorophenate; qualitative and quantitative analysis; infrared spectrophotometry .