Indirect complexometric determination of palladium(II) using sodium nitrite as a selective masking reagent

A selective complexometric method is described for the determination of palladium, sodium nitrite being used as masking reagent. Palladium(II) in a given sample solution is initially cornplexed with an excess of EDTA and the surplus EDTA is titrated with zinc sulfate solution at pH 4.5–5.5 (acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer), using xylenol orange as indicator. An excess of sodium nitrite is then added, the mixture is shaken well and the EDTA released from the Pd-EDTA complex is titrated with a standard zinc sulfate solution. Results are obtained for 2.5–27.5 mg of Pd with relative errors 0.5% and standard deviations 0.05 mg. The interferences of various ions are studied. The method is applied for the determination of palladium(II) in alloys and complexes.     

Indirect complexometric titration of sodium and potassium with EDTA

Summary Sodium is precipitated as sodium zinc uranyl acetate, filtered and dissolved in water, and zinc is titrated with EDTA using eriochrome black T as indicator. Potassium is precipitated as potassium sodium cobaltinitrite and dissolved in hot water containing little hydrochloric acid. The blue colored solution produced by cobalt in solution, with ammonium thiocyanate and acetone was titrated with EDTA until colorless. The results are good.The author is grateful to Prof. Philip W. West, Boyd Professor of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, for kindly providing the facilities to carry out the investigation.     

Spectrophotometric study of the reaction of the uranyl ion with 4-(2-thiazolylazo) resorcinol

The uranyl ion forms only 1:1 chelates with 4-(2-thiazolylazo) resorcinol (TAR) in solution, UO(2)(TAR)H(+) being formed below pH 3 and UOS(TAR) above pH 3-5. The latter complex may also be precipitated at pH > 3. The quantitative formation of UO(2)(TAR) at pH 7.5-7.8 in solutions containing a small excess of reagent and some triethanolamine as buffer can be used for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of uranium. Several interfering ions can be masked with a mixture of sodium fluoride, cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid and 5-sulphosalicylic acid. TAR is slightly less sensitive than 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol as a reagent for uranium but is more selective.     

Determination of the precise composition of the triple sodium uranyl acetates of magnesium, zinc and nickel, and some observations on the use of the first two compounds for the determination of sodium

Three triple sodium uranyl acetates NaM(UO(2))(3)(CH(3) COO)(9) . nH(2)O in which the bivalent metals M were magnesium, zinc and nickel, have been precipitated and the air-dried compounds analysed for uranium by a highly precise method. Despite contrary claims it has been established that the compounds are precise hexahydrates the maximum deviation of n from 6 in any one analysis being 0.1. The precipitation of sodium as the magnesium or zinc compound gives results which depend on the excess of the reagents, and positive errors can be obtained. It is also concluded that, contrary to the usual belief, the magnesium compound is rather less soluble than the zinc one and is therefore somewhat more sensitive for sodium determination.     

Sorption of uranium(VI) compounds on fibrous anion exchanger surface from aqueous solutions

The effect of sorbent consumption and the kinetics and mechanism of sorption of uranium(VI) compounds on the surface of FIBAN A-6 fibrous anion exchanger from aqueous uranyl acetate solutions have been studied in the presence of sulfuric acid or sodium hydrocarbonate. The degree of sorption of uranium(VI) compounds by FIBAN A-6 anion exchanger has been found to be as high 97.0–99.5% at an interfacial contact time of 3–7 min and a sorbent consumption of 2–5 g/dm³. Diffusion and chemical kinetics models have been employed to show that the sorption kinetics of uranyl sulfate and carbonate complexes corresponds to the mixed diffusion mechanism and is described by a pseudo-second-order equation. The sorption isotherms of uranium(VI) compounds have the pattern of L-type isotherms according to the Giles classification and are satisfactorily described by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich equations. It has been found that, within 40 min, the sorbent may be regenerated by 65–82% with a 1 M NaHCO₃ solution.     

The analysis of aqueous solutions with ethanol-soluble reagents in a flow injection system

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of uranium is adapted to flow injection analysis. The reagent, 2(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol, forms a complex with uranyl ions, with an absorbance maximum at 578 nm. The detection limit of the procedure is 0.15 mg l^?1 uranium and 60 samples can be analyzed per hour. Iron, calcium, ammonium, sulphate and fluoridedo not interfere; phosphate interferes even at moderate levels and carbonate interferes at high concentrations. Difficulties encountered in mixing the aqueous stream carrying the sample with the ethanol reagent stream initiated an investigation of different kinds of mixers in flow systems. A tight coil of teflon tubing proved to be the most efficient mixer, i.e., the one yielding the least baseline noise without excessive dispersion.     

The determination of potassium and sodium in coal ash

Methods are described for the rapid determination of sodium and potassium in coal ash. The ash is decomposed by a Lawrence Smith ignition: sodium is determined as sodium zinc uranyl acetate (gravimetncally or titrimctrically) on an aliquot of the aqueous extract, and potassium is determined gravunctrically as potassium tetraphenylboron on a second aliquot.Other methods for completing the determination were examined but were less satisfactory. The flame photometer method although less reproducible than other methods is extremely rapid and is probably accurate enough for routine purposes.     

Parametric investigation of laser-induced fluorescence of solid-state uranyl compounds

The combination of remote/standoff sensing and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy shows potential for detection of uranyl (UO2(2+)) compounds. Uranyl compounds exhibit characteristic emission in the 450-600 nm (22,200 to 16,700 cm(-1)) spectral region when excited by wavelengths in the ultraviolet or in the short-wavelength portion of the visible spectrum. We report a parametric study of the effects of excitation wavelength [including 532 nm (18,797 cm(-1)), 355 nm (28,169 cm(-1)), and 266 nm (37,594 cm(-1))] and excitation laser power on solid-state uranium compounds. The uranium compounds investigated include uranyl nitrate, uranyl sulfate, uranyl oxalate, uranium dioxide, triuranium octaoxide, uranyl acetate, uranyl formate, zinc uranyl acetate, and uranyl phosphate. We observed the characteristic uranyl fluorescence spectrum from the uranium compounds except for uranium oxide compounds (which do not contain the uranyl moiety) and for uranyl formate, which has a low fluorescence quantum yield. Relative uranyl fluorescence intensity is greatest for 355 nm excitation, and the order of decreasing fluorescence intensity with excitation wavelength (relative intensity/laser output) is 355 nm > 266 nm > 532 nm. For 532 nm excitation, the emission spectrum is produced by two-photon excitation. Uranyl fluorescence intensity increases linearly with increasing laser power, but the rate of fluorescence intensity increase is different for different emission bands.     

Determination of ultra traces amount of uranium in raffinates of Purex process by laser fluorimetry

A simple and rapid, laser fluorimetric method for the determination of uranium concentration in raffinate stream of Purex process during reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel has been developed. It works on the principle of detection of fluorescence of uranyl complex formed by using fluorescence enhancing reagent like sodium pyrophosphate. The uranium concentration was determined in the range of 0–40 ppb and detection limit of 0.2 ppb. The optimum time discrimination is obtained when the uranyl ion is complexed with sodium pyrophosphate. Need of preconcentration step or separation of uranium from interfering elements is not an essential step.     

Extraction of some metal phenylacetates into chloroform

Phenylacetic acid has been found to be very useful as a reagent in the extraction of large quantities of certain ions, notable iron(III), cobalt(II), copper(II), lead, zinc, cadmium and uranyl. A 1M solution of the reagent in chloroform is used to extract up to 200 mg of certain ions from small volumes of aqueous phase. Selectivity is increased by pH control and masking.     

Coulometric determination of uranium with a platinum working electrode

Experimental conditions have been established which enable uranium to be determined coulometrically by the reduction of uranium(VI) to uranium(IV) at a platinum working electrode, by controlled-potential or controlled-potential-limit techniques. The procedure has been used successfully as a subsidiary method in the routine determination of uranium in pure uranyl nitrate solutions. The platinum electrode has several important practical advantages over the well established mercury-pool electrode for the coulometric determination of uranium. The consecutive determination of iron(III) and uranium(VI), or plutonium(IV) and uranium(VI) can be carried out with the same working electrode in the same solution and the coulometric oxidation of uranium(IV) to uranium(VT) is practicable. The rate of stirring of the cell liquor is much less critical in the case of the platinum electrode. Two main problems had to be overcome before a practical procedure could be achieved; hydrogen evolution during the uranium(VI)-(IV) reduction had to be eliminated so that 100% current efficiency could be obtained for the desired reaction and electrode-surface poisoning phenomena had to be controlled so that reaction times could be kept reasonably short. It was found that selection of a hydrochloric acid base solution containing a small amount of bismuth(III) enabled hydrogen evolution to be avoided: also electrode-surface poisoning with this base solution was not particularly serious and could be maintained at a satisfactorily low level by occasionally anodizing the electrode in dilute sulphuric acid. Bismuth(III) forms a complex with chloride ions and its presence increases the hydrogen overvoltage at the working electrode: no visible deposit of bismuth metal forms on the electrode during the uranium reduction. Samples containing nitrate can be analysed provided sulphamic acid is added to this hydrochoric acid base solution.     

Uranium micelle-mediated extraction in acetate medium: factorial design optimization

A micelle-mediated extraction (CPE) procedure has been developed to remove trace amounts of uranium from wastewater using a non-ionic surfactant (Triton (X-100)) and lipophilic chelating extracting agent (D2EHPA) in acetate medium. The methodology used is based on the formation of metal complexes soluble in a micellar phase of a non-ionic surfactant. The uranyl ions complexes are then extracted into the surfactant-rich phase at a ambient temperature. The effects of different operating parameters such as the concentrations of Triton (X-100), D2EHPA and metal ions, temperature, sodium acetate rate and pH on the cloud point extraction of uranyl ions were studied in details and a set of optimum conditions were obtained. The results showed, without contribution of energy (ambient temperature), that up to 1000?ppm of uranyl ions can quantitatively be removed (>97?%) in a single CPE extraction using optimum conditions.     

Effect of sodium metasilicate on natural flotability of coal

The effect of the quantity of sodium metasilicate and conditioning time in one set of experiments, and the effect of the solution concentration of sodium metasilicate, added at the same dosage and conditioning time to coal slurry, on flotability of a typical Indian coal in another set of experiments are studied. Two sets of 3² full factorial experiments are carried out to assess the effects of the aforementioned variables. The generated data are analyzed quantitatively and explained qualitatively. At 0.1% (w/v) solution concentration of solution added (0.02 g/kg) and 8 min conditioning time, sodium metasilicate acted as activator for kaolinite, whereas at 1.0% (w/v) solution concentration (0.2 g/kg), it acted as dispersant. The best observed condition of depressant is obtained at an added concentration of 10.0% (w/v, 0.2 g/kg) and 8 min conditioning time. The desired effect of the sodium metasilicate can be achieved by controlling its quantity, solution concentration added, and conditioning time.     

Influence of binary/ternary complex of imprint ion on the preconcentration of uranium(VI) using ion imprinted polymer materials

Ion imprinted polymer (IIP) materials were prepared for uranyl ion (imprint ion) by forming binary (5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol (DCQ) or 4-vinylpyridine (VP)) or ternary (5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol and 4-vinylpyridine) complexes in 2-methoxy ethanol (porogen) and copolymerizing in the presence of styrene and divinyl benzene as functional and crosslinking monomers, respectively and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. IIP particles were obtained by leaching the imprint ion in these polymer materials with 50% (v/v) hydrochloric acid, filtering, drying in an oven at 50 °C and grinding. Control polymer particles were also prepared under identical conditions. The above synthesized polymer particles were characterized by IR, CHN, X-ray diffraction, and pore size analyses. These leached polymer particles can now pick up uranyl ions from dilute aqueous solutions. The IIP particles obtained with ternary complex of uranyl ion alone gave quantitative enrichment of traces of uranyl ions from dilute aqueous solutions. The optimal pH for quantitative enrichment is 4.5-7.5 and eluted completely with 10 ml of 1.0 M HCl. The retention capacity of uranyl IIP particles was found to be 34.05 mg of uranyl ion per gram of polymer. Further, the percent extraction, distribution ratio, and selectivity coefficients of uranium and other selected inorganic ions were also evaluated. Five replicate determinations of 25 μg of uranium present in 1.0 l of aqueous solution gave a mean absorbance of 0.036 with a relative standard deviation of 2.50%. The detection limit corresponding to three times the standard deviation of the blank was found to be 5 μg l⁻¹.     

Detection of uranium with a wireless sensing method by using salophen as receptor and magnetic nanoparticles as signal-amplifying tags

A new wireless sensing method for the detection of uranium in water samples has been reported in this paper. The method is based on a sandwich-type detection strategy. Salophen, a tetradentate ligand of uranyl ion, was immobilized on the surface of the polyurethane-protected magnetoelastic sensor as receptor for the capture of uranyl ion. The phosphorylated polyvinyl alcohol coated magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were used as signal-amplifying tags of uranyl ion. In a procedure of determining uranium, firstly uranyl ion in sample solution was captured on the sensor surface. Then the captured uranyl bound the nanoparticle through its coordination with the phosphate group. The amount of uranium was detected through the measure of the resonance frequency shift caused by the enhanced mass loading on the sensor surface. A linear range was found to be 0.2–20.0 μg/L under optimal conditions with a detection limit of 0.11 μg/L. The method has been applied to determine uranium in environmental water samples with the relative standard deviations of 2.1–3.6 % and the recoveries of 98.0–101.5 %. The present technique is one of the most suitable techniques for assay of uranium at trace level in environmental water samples collected from different sources.     

Determination of uranyl ion by potentiometric titration using an uranyl-selective electrode

Summary A potentiometric titration of uranyl ion is described using an uranyl selective electrode based on a membrane containing a complex of UO₂-bis[di-4-(1,1,3,3-tetra-methylbutyl)phenyl phosphate] as an ion-exchanger and tritolyl phosphate as a solvent mediator. The titrations were carried out with various titrants: sodium hydroxide, potassium fluoride and sodium salts of acetate, oxalate and citrate. The equivalence points were determined by Gran's method. Good results were obtained by using sodium oxalate as a titrant for the determination of uranium in several samples of ammonium diuranate. The results were quite comparable with those obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.     

Studies in bivalent chromium salts

Summary The above estimations show that stannous chloride and uranyl acetate can be estimated with the help of chromous sulphate. In the case of tin, excess of ferric iron is added and its excess found by titration with chromous sulphate, using neutral red or phenosafranine as indicator. In the case of uranyl acetate chromous salt titration, the above two indicators work satisfactorily in the absence of excess of sulphuric acid, whereas methyl red and p-ethoxycrysodine give good end points even in the presence of excess acid. In the alternative procedure for estimation of uranium, chromous sulphate serves the purpose of a Jone's reductor.Ammonium metavanadate solution can be titrated directly against chromous sulphate. N-phenylanthranilic acid, diphenylamine, diphenylbenzidine and diphenylamine sulphonic acid serve satisfactorily as internal indicators for the VO_3– to VO²⁺ change. It has been shown that ferric and cupric salts do not interfere in the above titrations. Mixtures of vanadate and dichromate or vanadate and ceric sulphate can also be titrated in the same manner using the same indicators.Part VI: cf. Z. analyt. Chem. 162, 33 (1958).     

Solvent extraction-absorptiometric determination of niobium in steels with bromopyrogallol red

A simple and rapid method is described for the determination of niobium in steel with Bromopyrogallol Red. After dissolution of the sample, niobium is extracted along with iron from concentrated hydrochloric acid into isopentyl acetate. Niobium and iron are stripped into an aqueous solution containing sodium acetate, and EDTA, ammonium chloride, tartaric acid, and Bromopyrogallol Red are added to complex the niobium. The niobium-Bromopyro-gallol Red complex along with excess of reagent is extracted into isopentyl acetate containing di-n-octylmethylamine, and measured at 610 nm. The molar absorptivity is 2.50 x 10(4) and Beer's law is obeyed up to 27 mug of niobium. The method is free from interferences and can be applied to the analysis of samples containing as little as 0.01 % niobium.     

Oxidation state and coordination environment of uranium in sodium iron aluminophosphate glasses

An analysis of the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of uranium determined the oxidation state and coordination environment of uranium atoms in glasses containing 40 mol % Na₂O, 10 mol % Al₂O₃, 10 mol % Fe₂O₃, and 40 mol % P₂O₅ to which uranium oxides were added to a concentration of 50 wt % (above 100%). If the added amount of UO₂ was small, uranium occurred as U(IV) in a near-octahedral oxygen environment with an average U–O distance in the first coordination sphere of 2.25 Å. At higher concentrations of uranium oxides introduced both as UO₂ and as UO₃, uranium occurred as U(V) and U(VI); the first coordination sphere is split; shorter (~1.7–1.8 Å) and longer (2.2–2.3 Å) distances were observed, which corresponded to the axial and equatorial U–O bonds in uranyl ions, respectively; and the redox equilibrium shifted toward U(VI). The glass with the maximal (~33 wt %) UO₃ concentration contained mainly U(VI). The existence of low-valence uranium species can be related to the presence of Fe(II) in glasses. The second coordination sphere of uranium manifests itself only at high concentrations of uranium oxides.