Determination of tellurium in copper, lead and selenium by atomic-absorption spectrometry after extraction of the trioctylmethylammonium-tellurium bromide complex

A simple, rapid and sensitive combined solvent extraction and atomic-absorption spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of tellurium in copper, lead, selenium and blister copper. Tellurium is extracted as the trioctylmethylammonium-tellurium(IV) bromide complex into butyl acetate and determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry of the extract. As little as 1 mug of tellurium in a sample can be determined. The extraction of tellurium from hydrobromic acid solution with trioctylamine has also been investigated.     

Rapid determination of selenium and tellurium by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

A rapid method has been developed for the determination of selenium and tellurium in geological and biological samples. It involves acid digestion of the sample with mineral acids, addition of arsenic as a carrier, reduction of arsenic to co-precipitate selenium and tellurium, dissolution of the precipitate in dilute nitric acid and subsequent determination of selenium and tellurium by conventional atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. Selenium and tellurium have been measured on a routine basis, down to 0.1 ppm.     

Determination of gold, indium, tellurium and thallium in the same sample digest of geological materials by atomic-absorption spectroscopy and two-step solvent extraction

A rock, soil, or stream-sediment sample is decomposed with hydrofluoric acid, aqua regia, and hydrobromic acid-bromine solution. Gold, thallium, indium and tellurium are separated and concentrated from the sample digest by a two-step MIBK extraction at two concentrations of hydrobromic add. Gold and thallium are first extracted from 0.1M hydrobromic acid medium, then indium and tellurium are extracted from 3M hydrobromic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid to eliminate iron interference. The elements are then determined by flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The two-step solvent extraction can also be used in conjunction with electrothermal atomic-absorption methods to lower the detection limits for all four metals in geological materials.     

Differential determination of tellurium(IV) and tellurium(VI) with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and dithizone by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with a carbon-tube atomizer

The extraction behaviour of tellurium(IV) and tellurium(VI) with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and dithizone in organic solvents has been investigated by means of flameless atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with a carbon-tube atomizer. The selective extraction of tellurium(IV) and differential determination of tellurium(IV) and tellurium(VI) have been developed. With sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and carbon tetrachloride, when the aqueous phase/organic solvent volume-ratio is 5 and the injection volume in the carbon tube is 20 microl, the sensitivity for tellurium is 0.3 ng/ml for 1% absorption. The relative standard deviations are ca. 2%. The proposed methods have been applied satisfactorily to determination of tellurium(IV) and tellurium(VI) in various types of water.     

Studies in atomic-fluorescence spectroscopy-III Microwave-excited electrodeless discharge tubes as spectral sources for atomic-fluorescence and atomic-absorption spectroscopy

Details are given for the production and operation of microwave-excited electrodeless discharge tubes for use as sources in atomic-fluorescence and atomic-absorption spectroscopy. Special reference is made to the tubes for selenium and tellurium and their spectral characteristics are fully discussed. Optimum conditions are given for producing suitably intense and stable sources.     

Influence of volatile hydride-forming elements on antimony determination by atomic-absorption spectrometry with hydride-generation

A study was undertaken to determine the interfering effects of arsenic, bismuth, germanium, lead, selenium, tin and tellurium on trace determination of antimony by atomic-absorption spectrometry with hydride-generation. A 1% NaBH(4) solution was used as reductant and a small amount of oxygen was added to the hydrogen produced, to support the combustion and atomization of SbH(3). The interference from selenium in the determination of antimony is removed if potassium iodide-ascorbic acid solution or copper sulphate is added to the sample solution. The interference of tin and tellurium can also be avoided by adding potassium iodide-ascorbic acid solution. A possible interference mechanism is discussed.     

Determination of trace and ultra-trace amounts of noble metals in geological and related materials by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry after separation by ion-exchange or co-precipitation with tellurium

Two methods for determining mug/g and ng/g levels of the noble metals, except for osmium, in ores, concentrates, mattes, and silicate and iron-formation rocks are described. After sample decomposition with hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia, followed by fusion of any insoluble residue with sodium peroxide, the noble metals are separated from the matrix elements by either cation-exchange or co-precipitation with tellurium. The resulting eluate, or the solution obtained after dissolution of the tellurium precipitate, is evaporated to dryness and the noble metals are ultimately determined in a 1M hydrochloric acid medium by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry. The ion-exchange method is recommended for the determination of mug/g levels of gold, silver and platinum-group elements, whilst the tellurium co-precipitation method is recommended for ng/g levels of platinum-group elements. The latter method is not recommended for the determination of ng/g levels of silver and gold in rocks, because of interference from tellurium during atomization in the furnace. Results obtained by these methods for 15 international reference samples, including four Canadian iron-formation rocks, are compared with other published data.     

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.     

Studies in atomic-fluorescence spectroscopy-IV The atomic-fluorescence spectroscopic determination of selenium and tellurium

Selenium and tellurium are determined down to 0.25 and 0.12 p pm respectively by measuring the atomic-fluorescence signals at 2040 A and 2143 A respectively. Other possible wavelengths of measurement are considered in detail and the effects of some extraneous ions are examined. Microwave-excited electrodeless discharge tubes are used as spectral sources and intensity measurements are made with a Unicam SP 900A atomic-absorption/flame-emission spectrophotometer. Atomic-absorption measurements are also made with the same sources and spectrophotometer. The advantages of atomic-fluorescence methods and the use of electrodeless discharge tubes are discussed.     

Coexistence of Tellurium Cations and Anions in Phosphonium-Based Ionic Liquids

Elemental tellurium readily dissolves in ionic liquids (ILs) based on tetraalkylphosphonium cations even at temperatures below 100 °C. In the case of ILs with acetate, decanoate, or dicyanamide anions, dark red to purple colored solutions form. A study combining NMR, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy revealed the formation of tellurium anions (Te_n)²⁻ with chain lengths up to at least n=5, which are in dynamic equilibrium with each other. Since external influences could be excluded and no evidence of an ionic liquid reaction was found, disproportionation of the tellurium is the only possible dissolution mechanism. Although the spectroscopic detection of tellurium cations in these solutions is difficult, the coexistence of tellurium cations, such as (Te₄)²⁺ and (Te₆)⁴⁺, and tellurium anions could be proven by cyclic voltammetry and electrodeposition experiments. DFT calculations indicate that electrostatic interactions with the ions of the ILs are sufficient to stabilize both types of tellurium ions in solution.     

A fire-assay and wet chemical method for the determination of palladium, platinum, gold, and silver in ores and concentrates

A method is presented for the determination of palladium, platinum, gold and silver in ores and concentrates by a fire-assay and wet chemical technique. After parting of the lead assay button with dilute nitric acid, and separation of the solution from the residue, the palladium and platinum in the solution are precipitated by the addition of stannous chloride, with tellurium as collector. The resulting precipitate is combined with the gold residue and dissolved in aqua regia, then the solution is analysed for palladium, platinum and gold by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Silver is determined in the original solution by AAS before the reduction step.     

The determination of tellurium in weathered outcrop,mineralized and barren rock

Sensitive and specific methods have been developed for the determination of tellurium in a wide variety of rocks and minerals. X-ray fluorescence is used for concentrations above 1 μg g^-1 and carbon furnace atomization a.a.s. for concentrations of 0.01–1μg g^-1. The tellurium is separated by precipitation as elemental tellurium after dissolution in acid; alternative dissolution procedures have been investigated.     

Eigenschaften von Chalkogen-Chalkogen-Bindungen. XII. Reversible Tellurierung von Tetraisopropyldiphosphan; Stabilisierung von Tellurobis(diisopropylphosphan) als Tetracarbonylchromkomplex

Properties of Chalcogene-Chalcogene Bonds. XII. Reversible Telluration of Tetraisopropyldiphosphane, Stabilisation of Tellurobis(diisopropylphosphane) as Tetracarbonylchromium Complex Tetraisopropyldiphosphane 1 reacts with elemental tellurium by tellurium atom insertion to give tellurobis(diisopropylphosphane) 2. 2 is also available from sodium telluride with chlorodiisopropyl phosphane. ^lH, ^l3C, ^3lP and ^l25Te n.m.r. spectra confirm that in solution 2 is in an equilibrium with the educt 1 and elemental tellurium. Reaction of this equilibrium mixture with tetracarbonyl(norbornadiene)chromium(0) provides tetracarbonyl[tellurobis(diisopropylphosphane)]-chromium(0) 3. 3 was isolated in pure state as stable compound; different from 2,3 does not suffer from loss of tellurium at room temperature.     

Thermal stabilization of inorganic and organically- bound tellurium for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The thermal stabilization of inorganic tellurium(IV) and organically-bound tellurium for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of the element was studied with the use of the isotope tellurium-127m. Of the 19 metals and potassium iodide tested, 15 metals had a stabilizing effect on inorganic tellurium; among the 9 metals tested with organically-bound tellurium, only 3 exhibited an effect. The most effective metals for stabilizing inorganic tellurium were cadmium, copper, palladium, platinum and zinc, while the best agents for stabilization of organically-bound tellurium were silver, palladium and platinum; in the presence of palladium and platinum, tellurium in both forms could be heated in the graphite tube to 1050°C without losses. Attempts were made to determine tellurium in human whole blood and garlic, but the concentrations were found to be below the detection limits of 3 ng ml^-1 and 140 ng g^-1, respectively.     

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.     

Determination of selenium and tellurium in air by atomic-absorption spectrometry

Elemental selenium and tellurium, and gaseous inorganic forms of Se(IV), Se(VI), Te(IV) and Te(VI) have been determined after their adsorption on gold-coated beads. After leaching, with water and dilute hydrochloric and nitric acids, the different chemical species in each acid fraction were separated with an anion-exchange resin (Bio-Rad AG-1X8) and a cation-exchange resin (Amberlite IR-120 Plus) by varying the acidity of the leaching agent. Subsequent analysis was by graphite-fumace atomic-absorption spectrometry. The lower detection limit for Se and Te was 0.03 ng/M(3) with a precision of +/- 5%. The average amounts of selenium in interior and exterior air samples were about 4.73 and 1.93 ng/m(3) respectively. For tellurium the corresponding values were about 0.78 and 0.24 ng/m(3).     

Intestinal absorption of tellurium studied with stable tracers

An investigation on tellurium metabolism by administration of stable tellurium isotopes¹²⁴Te and¹²⁶Te has been performed. Fractional intestinal absorption was determined in rabbits by the double tracer technique. The investigated subjects were given an enriched solution of one tellurium isotope orally and a few minutes later an enriched solution of the other isotope intravenously. The¹²⁴Te and¹²⁶Te contents in plasma samples were determined by proton nuclear activation. The methodology described offers a means to study tellurium metabolism in humans without radiation risk.     

Atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tellurium, thallium and vanadium in sewage sludge

Electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), by use of a graphite furnace, in conjunction with sample pretreatment by homogenization, was evaluated as a rapid method for the determination of bismuth, thallium and vanadium in sewage sludge. This method was compared with use of flame, electrothermal and hydride-generation (for bismuth) AAS in conjunction with conventional acid digestion and dry-ashing pretreatments and was found to be applicable to this type of sample. Comparisons were also made between flame and hydride-generation AAS in conjunction with an acid digestion pretreatment for the determination of antimony, arsenic and tellurium in sewage sludge. The hydride-generation technique was considered the better for waste-water samples because of its greater sensitivity.     

Ion chromatography–hydride generation‐atomic fluorescence spectrometry speciation of tellurium

The speciation of tellurium was carried out using atomic fluorescence spectrometry as an element‐specific detector in hybridization with liquid chromatography and hydride generation. Good resolution could be obtained by anion‐exchange chromatography with complexing agents, using a mobile phase with 8 mM EDTA and 2 mM potassium hydrogenphthalate. Analysis time was less than 6 min. Calibration graphs were linear between 2 and 100 µg l^?1. Detection limits were 0.6 µg l^?1 and 0.7 µg l^?1 for tellurium(VI) and tellurium(IV) respectively. The method was applied to the speciation of tellurium in drinking water and wastewater samples from different metallurgical industries. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic determination of ultra trace amounts of tellurium by 2.5-order differential oscillopolarography

A highly sensitive and selective catalytic method with 2.5-order differential oscillopolarographic detection is described for the determination of tellurium, based on its activation effect on the slow Pd(II)-catalyzed reaction of sodium hypophosphite and methyl red in hydrochloric acid medium at 100?°C. Methyl red exhibited a sensitive 2.5-order differential polarographic wave at –0.35 V ¶(vs. SCE) in the supporting electrolyte of pH 5.0 acetate buffer solution and was chosen as the indicating component for the indirect determination of tellurium. A calibration curve of tellurium in the range of 0.02–2.0 ng mL^–1 was obtained by the fixed-time procedure. The detection limit was 0.007 ng mL^–1. Possible interferences by co-existing substances were examined. The new method has been used to analyze trace tellurium in organs of white mice with satisfactory results. RSD was 0.54% to 2.10%, recovery 98.4% to 95.7%. The mechanism is also discussed.