Solvent Extraction and Spectrophotometric Determination of Uranium Using α-Benzoin Oxime as Chelating Agent

Solvent extraction of uranium by a chloroform solution of α-benzoin oxime was studied and the formation of uranium-α-benzoin oxime complex described. The uranium-α-benzoin oxime complex has two maximum absorbance at 350 nm and 427 nm. A constant absorbance was obtained for 1 × 10^?3 M uranium when the concentration of α-benzoin oxime was higher than 1.2 × 10^?2 M. Ions of Ag⁺, Fe³⁺, V⁵⁺, Cu²⁺, and W⁶⁺ were found to have interference. A solution containing 0.1–10 mg uranium at pH 1.6–6.8 was extracted with 1 × 10^?3 M ?2 × 10^?3 M α-benzoin oxime solution in chloroform. With single extraction, the maximum amount of uranium passing into organic layer was at least 98%. Under this condition the presence of diverse ions except V⁵⁺ does not significantly interfere the extraction of uranium.