Liquid-liquid extraction of arsenic(III) with diluted tributyl phosphate

A 40% tributyl phosphate solution in xylene was used for the quantitative extraction of arsenic(III) from 4M hydrochloric acid/2M lithium chloride. It was stripped from the organic phase with water and determined volumetrically with potassium bromate. The period of equilibration was 3 min. Arsenic was extracted in presence of copper, cobalt, nickel, tin, bismuth, iron, cadmium and other elements which are usually associated with it in sulphide minerals and alloys.