Platinized Magnesium as Reducing Agent for Hydrogen Isotope Analysis

Abstract

Platinized magnesium has recently been proposed as a new reducing agent for the conversion of small quantities of water to hydrogen in a flame-sealed borosilicate glass tube at 400°C for isotopic analysis. The reagent, Mg-Pt, in contrast to zinc can be prepared in every laboratory by coating a magnesium granulate with a thin layer of platinum by reaction with H₂PtCl₆·6H₂O dissolved in acetone-ether mixture. Excellent reproducibility of the isotope ratios in hydrogen gas prepared from water samples has been obtained using 4 μl of water and 120 mg of the reagent.