Selective extraction of mercury by 4-phenyl-5-p-tolyl-1,3,4-thiadiazolium-2-thiolate (PTTDT)

The extraction of radio-mercury(II) by PTTDT was investigated as function of diluent, hydrochloric acid concentration, extractant concentration and certain foreign compounds in the aqueous phase. The extraction was found to be quantitative when chloroform was used as diluent and at low HCl or high PTTDT concentrations. Neither the presence of boric acid, nor several metal salts (NaF, CuSO₄, ZnSO₄ or Na₂SO₄) had any effect on the E%. The presence of chloride or bromide lowers the E% considerably. A radiochemical procedure was developed to pre-concentrate mercury from artifical sea water using an organic: aqueous phase ratio of 1∶100.