Spectrophotometric determination of germanium with Catechol Violet and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

A ternary complex between germanium, Catechol Violet (CV) and cetyltrimethylanunoniuni bromide is proposed for the determination of germanium. The stoichiometric ratio Ge:CV is 1:2. Beer's law is obeyed from 0.1 to 1.0 ppm of Ge. The method is highly selective. Interference from Sn(IV), Fe(III), Bi(III), Cr(VI), Mo(VI), V(V) and Sb(III) in mg amounts is eliminated by extracting the germanium into carbon tetrachloride from 9M HC1 and then stripping into water before the photometric determination.     

Determination of tellurium in ores, concentrates and related materials by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry after separations by iron collection and xanthate extraction

A method for determining approximately 0.01 mug/g or more of tellurium in ores, concentrates, rocks, soils and sediments is described. After sample decomposition and evaporation of the solution to incipient dryness, tellurium is separated from > 300 mug of copper by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric oxide from an ammoniacal medium and the precipitate is dissolved in 10M hydrochloric acid. Alternatively, for samples containing 300 mug of copper, the salts are dissolved in 10M hydrochloric acid. Tellurium in the resultant solutions is reduced to the quadrivalent state by heating and separated from iron, lead and various other elements by a single cyclohexane extraction of its xanthate complex from approximately 9.5M hydrochloric acid in the presence of thiosemicarbazide as a complexing agent for copper. After washing with 10M hydrochloric acid followed by water to remove residual iron, chloride and soluble salts, tellurium is stripped from the extract with 16M nitric acid and finally determined, in a 2% v/v nitric acid medium, by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry at 214.3 nm in the presence of nickel as matrix modifier. Small amounts of gold and palladium, which are partly co-extracted as xanthates if the iron-collection step is omitted, do not interfere. Co-extraction of arsenic is avoided by volatilizing it as the bromide during the decomposition step. The method is directly applicable, without the co-precipitation step, to most rocks, soils and sediments.     

Determination of arsenic in ores, concentrates and related materials by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry after separation by xanthate extraction

A method for determining approximately 0.2 mug/g or more of arsenic in ores, concentrates and related materials is described. After sample decomposition arsenic(V) is reduced to arsenic(III) with titanium(III) and separated from iron, lead, zinc, copper, uranium, tin, antimony, bismuth and other elements by cyclohexane extraction of its xanthate complex from approximately 8-10M hydrochloric acid. After washing with 10M hydrochloric acid-2% thiourea solution to remove residual iron and co-extracted copper, followed by water to remove chloride, arsenic is stripped from the extract with 16M nitric acid and ultimately determined in a 2% nitric acid medium by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry, at 193.7 nm, in the presence of thiourea (which eliminates interference from sulphate) and palladium as matrix modifiers. Small amounts of gold, platinum and palladium, which are partly co-extracted as xanthates under the proposed conditions, do not interfere.     

Determination of bismuth in ores, concentrates and non-ferrous alloys by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after separation by diethyldithiocarbamate extraction or iron collection

Two simple, reliable and moderately rapid atomic-absorption methods for determining trace and minor amounts of bismuth in copper, nickel, molybdenum, lead and zinc concentrates and ores, and in non-ferrous alloys, are described. These methods involve the separation of bismuth from matrix elements either by chloroform extraction of its diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) complex, at pH 11.5–12.0, from a sodium hydroxide medium containing citric acid, tartaric acid, EDTA and potassium cyanide as complexing agents, or by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric oxide from an ammoniacal medium. Bismuth is ultimately determined, at 223.1 nm after evaporation of the extract to dryness in the presence of nitric and petchloric acids and dissolution of the salts in 20% v/v hydrochloric acid, or by dissolution of the hydrous oxide precipitate with the same acid solution, respectively. Results obtained by both methods are compared with those obtained spectrophotometrically by the iodide method after the separation of bismuth by DDTC and xanthate extractions.     

Determination of arsenic in ores, concentrates and related materials by continuous hydride-generation atomic-absorption spectrometry after separation by xanthate extraction

A recent graphite-furnace atomic-absorption method for determining approximately 0.2 mug/g or more of arsenic in ores, concentrates, rocks, soils and sediments, after separation from matrix elements by cyclohexane extraction of arsenic(III) xanthate from approximately 8-10M hydrochloric acid, has been modified to include an alternative hydride-generation atomic-absorption finish. After the extract has been washed with 10M hydrochloric acid-2% thiourea solution to remove co-extracted copper and residual iron, arsenic(III) in the extract is oxidized to arsenic(V) with bromine solution in carbon tetrachloride and stripped into water. Following the removal of bromine by evaporation of the solution, arsenic is reduced to arsenic(III) with potassium iodide in approximately 4M hydrochloric acid and ultimately determined to hydride-generation atomic-absorption spectrometry at 193.7 nm, with sodium borohydride as reductant. Interference from gold, platinum and palladium, which are partly co-extracted as xanthates under the proposed conditions, is eliminated by complexing them with thiosemicarbazide before the iodide reduction step. The detection limits for ores and related materials is approximately 0.1 mug of arsenic per g. Results obtained by this method are compared with those obtained previously by the graphite-furnace method.     

Determination of selenium in ores, concentrates and related materials by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry after separation by extraction of the 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine complex

A method for determining approximately 0.01 mug/g or more of selenium in ores, concentrates, rocks, soils, sediments and related materials is described. After sample decomposition selenium is reduced to selenium(IV) by heating in 4M hydrochloric acid and separated from the matrix elements by toluene extraction of its 5-nitropiazselenol complex from approximately 4.2M hydrochloric acid. After the extract has been washed with 2% nitric acid to remove residual iron, copper and chloride, the selenium in the extract is oxidized to selenium(VI) with 20% bromine solution in cyclohexane and stripped into water. This solution is evaporated to dryness in the presence of nickel, and selenium is ultimately determined in a 2% v/v nitric acid medium by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry at 196.0 nm with the nickel functioning as matrix modifier. Common ions, including large amounts of iron, copper and lead, do not interfere. More than 1 mg of vanadium(V) and 0.25 mg each of platinum(IV), palladium(II), and gold(III) causes high results for selenium, and more than 1 mg of tungsten(VI) and 2 mg of molybdenum(VI) causes low results. Interference from chromium(VI) is eliminated by reducing it to chromium(III) with hydroxylamine hydrochloride before the formation of the selenium complex.     

Spectrophotometric determination of arsenic in concentrates and copper-base alloys by the molybdenum blue method after separations by iron collection and xanthate extraction

A method for determining 0.0001-1% of arsenic in copper, nickel, molybdenum, lead and zinc concentrates is described. After sample decomposition, arsenic is separated from most of the matrix elements by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric oxide from an ammoniacal medium. Following reprecipitation of arsenic and iron, the precipitate is dissolved in approximately 2 M hydrochloric acid and the solution is evaporated to a small volume to remove water. Arsenic(V) is reduced to the tervalent state with iron(II) and separated from iron, lead and other co-precipitated elements by chloroform extraction of its xanthate from an 11M hydrochloric acid medium. After oxidation of arsenic(III) in the extract to arsenic(V) with bromine-carbon tetrachloride solution, it is back-extracted into water and determined by the molybdenum blue method. Small amounts of iron, copper and molybdenum, which are co-extracted as xanthates, and antimony, which is co-extracted to a slight extent as the chloro-complex under the proposed conditions, do not interfere. The proposed method is also applicable to copper-base alloys.     

Spectrophotometric determination of tantalum in ores and mill products with brilliant green after separation by methyl isobutyl ketone extraction of tantalum fluoride

A method for determining ~ 0.001% or more of tantalum in ores and mill products is described. After fusion of the sample with sodium carbonate, the cooled melt is dissolved in dilute sulphuric-hydrofluoric acid mixture and tantalum is separated from niobium and other matrix elements by methyl isobutyl ketone extraction of its fluoride from 1M hydrofluoric acid-0.5M sulphuric acid. The extract is washed with a hydrofluoric-sulphuric acid solution of the same composition to remove co-extracted niobium, and tantalum is stripped with dilute hydrogen peroxide. This solution is acidified with sulphuric and hydrofluoric acids and evaporated to dryness, and the residue is dissolved in oxalic-hydrofluoric acid solution. Tantalum is ultimately determined spectrophotometrically after extraction of the blue hexafluorotantalate-Brilliant Green ion-association complex into benzene from a 0.05M sulphuric acid-0.5M hydrofluoric acid-0.2M oxalic acid medium. The apparent molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.19 x 10(4) l.mole(-1).mm(-1) at 640 nm, the wavelength of maximum absorption. Common ions, including iron, aluminium, manganese, zirconium, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, tin, arsenic and antimony, do not interfere. Results obtained by this method are compared with those obtained by an X-ray fluorescence method.     

Spectrophotometric determination of selenium in concentrates and high-purity copper metal with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine after separation by xanthate extraction

A method for determining 0.0001-0.10% of selenium in copper, nickel, molybdenum, lead and zinc sulphide concentrates is described. After sample decomposition, selenium is reduced to the quadrivalent state by heating in a 4M hydrochloric acid-5M sulphuric acid medium, then extracted into chloroform as the xanthate, and ultimately determined spectrophotometrically with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine. Small amounts of iron, lead and copper, and an appreciable amount of molybdenum are co-extracted as xanthates but do not interfere. More than 5 mg of antimony will cause low results. The proposed method was developed primarily for concentrates, but it is also applicable to high-purity copper.     

Determination of chromium in ores, rocks and related materials, iron, steel and non-ferrous alloys by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after separation by tribenzylamine-chloroform extraction

A method for determining trace and moderate amounts of chromium in ores, concentrates, rocks, soils and clays is described. After fusion of the sample with sodium peroxide, the melt is dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid. The chromium(III) produced by the hydrogen peroxide formed is co-precipitated with hydrous ferric oxide. The precipitate is dissolved in 0.7M sulphuric acid and chromium oxidized to chromium(VI) with ceric ammonium sulphate. The chromium(VI) is extracted as an ion-association complex into chloroform containing tribenzylamine and stripped with ammoniacal hydrogen peroxide. This solution is acidified with perchloric acid and chromium determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry in an air-acetylene flame, at 357.9 nm. Barium and strontium do not interfere. The procedure is also applicable to iron and steel, and nickel-copper, aluminium and zirconium alloys. Up to 5 mg of manganese and 10 mg each of molybdenum and vanadium will not interfere. In the absence of vanadium, up to 10 mg of tungsten will not interfere. In the presence of 1 mg of vanadium, up to 1 mg of tungsten will not interfere.     

Spectrophotometric determination of thorium with Xylenol Orange and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The thorium-Xylenol Orange reaction sensitized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide ( = 5.51 x 10(4) l.mole(-1).cm(-1)) is accompanied by a bathochromic shift from 570 to 600 nm. The system is more selective than the binary system, because the reaction pH is lowered from 4.0 to 2.5; Beer's law is obeyed for 0.04-4.00 ppm of thorium.     

Spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum in steels with o-nitrophenylfluorone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

A method has been developed for determining microamounts of molybdenum(VI) in aqueous solution by means of the Mo-o-nitrophenylfluorone—cetyltrimethylammonium bromide system, in which micellar solubilization is applied. A red complex is formed in 0.2–0.6M hydrochloric acid medium. The sensitivity of the method is high, and the apparent molar absorptivity is 1.55 × 10⁵ l.mole⁻¹. cm⁻¹. The absorption peak of the complex appears at 530 nm. The colour of the complex develops quickly and is stable for more than 24 hr. The composition of the complex is Mo: o-NPF = 1:1, and the system obeys Beer's law in the range 0–10 μg of Mo per 25 ml. The method has been used for the rapid determination of molybdenum in alloy steels with satisfactory results.     

Spectrophotometric determination of arsenic by molybdenum blue method in zinc-lead concentrates and related smelter products after chloroform extraction of iodide complex

The most popular and widely applied method for determination of arsenic in ore concentrates is by spectrophotometry of arsenomolybdic acid reduced to molybdenum blue. While applying this method, several authors have developed procedures which varied in the decomposition, separation of arsenic and in the final colour development. Data regarding interference from germanium is inadequate. The present paper describes a procedure, which combines the best features of the previous procedures and is simple, less time consuming and interference-free compared to earlier procedures. This method has been applied to zinc-lead concentrates and related smelter products.     

Spectrophotometric determination of tellurium in concentrates and brasses by chloroform extraction of the tellurium (IV) hexabromide-diantipyrylmethane complex after separations by iron collection and xanthate extraction

A method for determining 0.0001–0.10% of tellurium in copper, nickel, molybdenum, lead and zinc concentrates is described. After sample decomposition, tellurium is separated from most of the matrix elements by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric oxide from an ammoniacal medium. After reprecipitation of tellurium and iron, the precipitate is dissolved in 12M hydrochloric acid, tellurium(VI) is reduced to the quadrivalent state by heating, and separated from iron, lead and other co-precipitated elements by chloroform extraction of its xanthate. The yellow ion-association complex formed between tellurium(IV) hexabromide and diantipyrylmethane is extracted into chloroform from a 2M sulphuric acid-0.6M potassium bromide medium. The molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.82 × 10³ l.mole⁻¹.mm⁻¹ at 336 nm, the wavelength of maximum absorption. Small amounts of iron, copper and molybdenum are co-extracted as xanthates under the proposed conditions but do not cause error in the result. Interference from antimony, which is co-extracted as the chloro-complex, is eliminated by washing the extract with water. The proposed method is also applicable to brasses.     

Spectrophotometric determination of microamounts of scandium with o-chlorophenylfluorone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The reaction of scandium(III) with o-chlorophenylfluorone (o-CIPF) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) has been studied. In an acetate buffer at pH 4.4, a red-purple complex is obtained, with maximum absorption at 569 nm and a molar absorptivity of 1.31 x 10(5)1.mole(-1).cm(-1). The composition of the complex is found to be 1:2:2 Sc-o-CIPF-CTMAB. Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0-12 mug/25 ml scandium. The proposed method has been used for determination of trace scandium in tungsten ores after its prior separation by solvent extraction.     

Spectrophotometric determination of germanium based on its ternary complex with phenylfluorone and zephiramine

A sensitive Spectrophotometric method for the determination of germanium based on its ternary complex with phenylfluorone and zephiramine was developed. The complex forms in 0.3–1.5 M HCl medium. Maximum absorbance is obtained for the molar ratio of Ge:PF:zeph = 1:16:600. Molar absorptivity (ϵ) is 1.38 × 10⁵ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at λ_max = 505 nm. Due to the limited selectivity of the method (Sn, Sb, Nb, Ta, Ti, V, Mo, ClO₄⁻, SO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻) before determining trace amounts of germanium, it should be separated, e.g., by extraction. Germanium in galman ore was determined with the developed method (about 1 × 10⁻³%). Attempts to achieve satisfactory analytical results failed in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium ions or cetylpyridinium ions used as cationic surfactants.     

Determination of antimony in concentrates, ores and non-ferrous materials by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after iron-lanthanum collection, or by the iodide method after further xanthate extraction

Methods for determining trace and moderate amounts of antimony in copper, nickel, molybdenum, lead and zinc concentrates and in ores are described. Following sample decomposition, antimony is oxidized to antimony(V) with aqua regia, then reduced to antimony(III) with sodium metabisulphite in 6M hydrochloric acid medium and separated from most of the matrix elements by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric and lanthanum oxides. Antimony (>/= 100 mug/g) can subsequently be determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry, at 217.6 nm after dissolution of the precipitate in 3M hydrochloric acid. Alternatively, for the determination of antimony at levels of 1 mug/g or more, the precipitate is dissolved in 5M hydrochloric acid containing stannous chloride as a reluctant for iron(III) and thiourea as a complexing agent for copper. Then tin is complexed with hydrofluoric acid, and antimony is separated from iron, tin, lead and other co-precipitated elements, including lanthanum, by chloroform extraction of its xanthate. It is then determined spectrophotometrically, at 331 or 425 nm as the iodide. Interference from co-extracted bismuth is eliminated by washing the extract with hydrochloric acid of the same acid concentration as the medium used for extraction. Interference from co-extracted molybdenum, which causes high results at 331 nm, is avoided by measuring the absorbance at 425 nm. The proposed methods are also applicable to high-purity copper metal and copper- and lead-base alloys. In the spectrophotometric iodide method, the importance of the preliminary oxidation of all of the antimony to antimony(V), to avoid the formation of an unreactive species, is shown.     

Spectrophotometric determination of chromium with diphenylcarbazide in the presence of vanadium, molybdenum, and iron after separation by solid-phase extraction

A method has been developed for the determination of chromium in presence of V(V), Mo(VI), and Fe(III). The effects of interferences were evaluated by using the apparent content curves method, and their separation was performed by solid-phase extraction with an anionic exchanger. The sample-treatment conditions and the influence of the sample conductivity were studied. Tolerance limits were established, and the proposed procedure was used to determine chromium in certified samples and for speciation of chromium in waste water. Our results were always in agreement with the theoretical content.     

Spectrophotometric determination of boron in iron and steel with curcumin after separation by 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol-chloroform extraction

A simple and reliable method for determining approximately 0.0001% or more of total boron in iron and low- and high-alloy steels is described. After the sample is decomposed at <70 degrees in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydrogen fluoride, the insoluble material is filtered off and ultimately fused with sodium carbonate. The cooled melt is dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid and the solution is combined with the main solution. Fluoride is subsequently complexed with zirconium and boron is separated from iron and other elements by extraction as borate from 1M sulphuric acid medium into chloroform containing 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol. Boron, in a 1-ml portion of the extract, is ultimately determined spectrophotometrically at 550 nm in an ethanol medium, after formation of the curcumin rosocyanin complex in a glacial acetic acid-concentrated sulphuric acid medium. Acid-soluble and acid-insoluble boron can also be determined. Common ions, including large amounts of manganese, chromium, vanadium, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium and tantalum do not interfere.     

Comparison of silver results for canadian reference ores and concentrates and zinc-processing products by acid decomposition, tribenzylamine/chloroform extraction and fire-assay combined with atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

The results obtained for silver in Canadian reference ores and concentrates and in zinc-processing products by three atomic-absorption spectrophotometric methods are compared. "Wet chemical" methods based on the decomposition of the sample with mixed acids yield more accurate results than those based on fire-assay collection techniques. A direct acid-decomposition method involving the determination of silver in a 20% v/v hydrochloric acid-1% v/v diethylenetriamine medium is recommended for the determination of approximately 10 mug g or higher levels of silver. A method based on chloroform extraction of the tribenzylamine-silver bromide ion-association complex from 0.08M potassium bromide-2M sulphuric acid is recommended for samples containing < 10 mug of silver per g.