Sorption preconcentration in combined methods for the determination of noble metals

Combined methods for the determination of noble metals with the use of sorption preconcentration with complexing, anion-exchange, and other sorbents are reviewed. Characteristics of sorbents, techniques of sorption preconcentration, and techniques for the preparation of a concentrate for determination are considered. Features of instrumental methods for the determination of noble metals in the analysis of different materials are discussed. Examples of the use of sorption preconcentration in combined methods for the determination of noble metals are given from publications between 1996–2005.     

A selective sorbent for concentrating noble metals

New chelating sorbents have been synthesized by aminating chloromethylated styrenedivinylbenzene macroporous copolymers with 3(5)-methylpyrazole. The sorption of noble metals from acid solutions and the selectivity has been studied. The sorbents are of interest for selective concentration and extraction of the noble metals.     

Trends in sorption preconcentration combined with noble metal determination.

Nowadays much attention is being paid to the determination of trace amounts of noble metals in geological, industrial, biological and environmental samples. The most promising techniques, such as inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) are characterized by high sensitivity. However, the accurate determination of trace noble metals has been limited by numerous interferences generated from the presence of matrix elements. To decrease, or eliminate, these interferences, the sorption preconcentration of noble metals is often used prior to their instrumental detection. A great number of hyphenated methods of noble metal determination using sorption preconcentration have been developed. This review describes the basic types of available sorbents, preconcentration procedures and preparations of the sorbent to the subsequent determination of noble metals. The specific features of instrumental techniques and examples of ETAAS, FAAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS determinations after the sorption preconcentration of noble metals are considered. The references cited here were selected mostly from the period 1996 - 2006.     

POLYORGS as complexing sorbents for preconcentration of trace metals

Summary The main characteristics of the complexing sorbents POLYORGS are reviewed. These sorbents contain pyrazole, imidazole, amidoxime, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, thioglycolanilide and arsenazo groups and exhibit high selectivity in respect to noble, rare-earth and heavy metals. The sorbents POLYORGS are applied for the preconcentration of these metals to be determined in ores, rocks, natural and waste waters, and industrial products. The metal determinations after preconcentration are carried out by means of different instrumental methods (e.g., AAS, XRFA, ICP-AES, NAA) either directly in the sorbent, after elution of the analytes or decomposition of the sorbent.     

Nd(III) and Gd(III) Sorption on Mesoporous Amine-Functionalized Polymer/SiO2 Composite

The strong demand for rare-earth elements (REEs) is driven by their wide use in high-tech devices. New processes have to be developed for valorizing low-grade ores or alternative metal sources (such as wastes and spent materials). The present work contributed to the development of new sorbents for the recovery of rare earth ions from aqueous solutions. Functionalized mesoporous silica composite was synthesized by grafting diethylenetriamine onto composite support. The physical and chemical properties of the new sorbent are characterized using BET, TGA, elemental analysis, titration, FTIR, and XPS spectroscopies to identify the reactive groups (amine groups: 3.25 mmol N g⁻¹ and 3.41 by EA and titration, respectively) and their mode of interaction with Nd(III) and Gd(III). The sorption capacity at the optimum pH (i.e., 4) reaches 0.9 mmol Nd g⁻¹ and 1 mmol Gd g⁻¹. Uptake kinetics are modeled by the pseudo-first-order rate equation (equilibrium time: 30–40 min). At pH close to 4–5, the sorbent shows high selectivity for rare-earth elements against alkali-earth elements. This selectivity is confirmed by the efficient recovery of REEs from acidic leachates of gibbsite ore. After elution (using 0.5 M HCl solutions), selective precipitation (using oxalate solutions), and calcination, pure rare earth oxides were obtained. The sorbent shows promising perspective due to its high and fast sorption properties for REEs, good recycling, and high selectivity.     

Factors Determining the Sorption Capacity and Selectivity of Metal-Substituted Carbon Sorbents for Ligand Sorption from the Gas Phase

We have established that it is feasible to significantly increase the capacity and selectivity of carbon sorbents by modifying them with metal ions during sorption from gas/air mixtures of sulfur dioxides and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, diethylamine, acetic acid, etc. We have determined the role of surface complexation and other factors affecting sorption; we have determined the routes and principles for creating and using new high-capacity and selective sorbents for these materials based on various carbonaceous materials (activated carbons, carbonaceous cloths, semicokes).     

Enhancement of Cerium Sorption onto Urea-Functionalized Magnetite Chitosan Microparticles by Sorbent Sulfonation—Application to Ore Leachate

The recovery of strategic metals such as rare earth elements (REEs) requires the development of new sorbents with high sorption capacities and selectivity. The bi-functionality of sorbents showed a remarkable capacity for the enhancement of binding properties. This work compares the sorption properties of magnetic chitosan (MC, prepared by dispersion of hydrothermally precipitated magnetite microparticles (synthesized through Fe(II)/Fe(III) precursors) into chitosan solution and crosslinking with glutaraldehyde) with those of the urea derivative (MC-UR) and its sulfonated derivative (MC-UR/S) for cerium (as an example of REEs). The sorbents were characterized by FTIR, TGA, elemental analysis, SEM-EDX, TEM, VSM, and titration. In a second step, the effect of pH (optimum at pH 5), the uptake kinetics (fitted by the pseudo-first-order rate equation), the sorption isotherms (modeled by the Langmuir equation) are investigated. The successive modifications of magnetic chitosan increases the maximum sorption capacity from 0.28 to 0.845 and 1.25 mmol Ce g⁻¹ (MC, MC-UR, and MC-UR/S, respectively). The bi-functionalization strongly increases the selectivity of the sorbent for Ce(III) through multi-component equimolar solutions (especially at pH 4). The functionalization notably increases the stability at recycling (for at least 5 cycles), using 0.2 M HCl for the complete desorption of cerium from the loaded sorbent. The bi-functionalized sorbent was successfully tested for the recovery of cerium from pre-treated acidic leachates, recovered from low-grade cerium-bearing Egyptian ore.     

Composition,structure, and functional properties of organomineral composite sorbents KU-2×8-ZnS and KU-2×8-PbS

Organomineral composite sorbents KU-2×8-ZnS and KU-2×8-PbS were synthesized on the basis of the matrix of a strongly acidic KU-2×8 cation exchanger. Scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis were used to study their microstructure and chemical composition. With the use of potentiometric titration, their bifunctional nature was revealed and the dissociation constants and the total exchange capacities of the ionogenic groups were determined. The sorption of copper(II), zinc, and cadmium by KU-2×8-ZnS and KU-2×8-PbS sorbents from 0.005 M solutions of their salts was examined. The total dynamic sorption capacity of the composite sorbents for the above metals, found in the study, exceeds similar values for the individual KU-2×8 cation exchanger by a factor of 1.6–2.0 and that in 0.001–0.050 M solutions of potassium and calcium chlorides, by a factor of 1.3–4.5. An explanation is suggested for the sorption process of heavy nonferrous metals on composite sorbents with an active sulfide component by the mechanism of coordination copolymerization.     

New chelating sorbents based on pyrazolone containing amines immobilized on styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer-I Synthesis and analytical characterization

A series of new cheating sorbents has been prepared by modification of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer with different pyrazolone-containing amines. The substances were characterized by elemental analysis and infared spectroscopy. The complexation ability of the sorbents towards alkali, alkaline-earth, transition and precious metals has been studied. The new sorbents may successfully be applied to the simultaneous preconcentration of alkaline-earth and transition elements in neutral medium and to the selective separation of precious metals in acidic medium.     

Sorption of radionuclides on inorganic sorbents

Inorganic sorbents are often used in separation of metals and radionuclides in radioanalytical application and they were also used in technological scale for separation of radionuclides in cleanup of Three Mile Island NPP. Inorganic sorbents become popular in the last years because no problem with organic contamination, there are stable against radiation, sorption efficiency can be tailor made for selective separation of chosen metal. Contrary to the organic sorbents they have usually lower capacity and chemical stability is limited to narrower pH. Nevertheless of some problems, many good properties of inorganic sorbents make them very attractive for sorption study.     

Sorption Capacity and Selectivity Relative to Metal Ions for Oxidized Carbon Sorbents with Different Numbers of Oxygen-Containing Groups

We have determined the sorption capacity and selectivity for a broad range of metal ions (alkali, alkaline-earth, transition metal, noble metals, etc.) in two-component and multicomponent mixtures of oxidized carbon sorbents with different numbers of oxygen-containing surface functional groups. We discuss the reasons for the observed changes, their connection with the nature and number of oxygen-containing surface functional groups, and the possibilities for practical application.     

Stability of phenol-formaldehyde ion-exchange sorbents in aqueous solutions

It is shown that ion-exchange sorbents based on phenol-formaldehyde resins can be used for a long time for isolating and separating rare alkali metals without any significant changes in the ion-exchange selectivity and capacity. When the phenol sorbents were used in alkaline solutions at elevated temperatures, carboxyl groups gradually accumulated in them as a result of the oxidation of methylol groups with oxygen dissolved in the solution. This led to a considerable increase in the ion-exchange capacity of the sorbents and a simultaneous decrease in the selectivity with respect to Cs⁺-Rb⁺ and Rb⁺-K⁺ ions (it is desirable to avoid the drying of phenol ionites in air by storing them in a swelled state in closed vessels).     

Extraction of scandium ions by new aminophosphinyl extractants

Extraction of Sc(III) ions by new aminophosphinyl compounds containing one or two methylenediorganylphosphinyl groups at the nitrogen atom was studied with a target of the development of effective and selective extractants of trace elements. The selection of extractants was due to their high hydrolytic stability in the acid media, commonly used at the extraction of metal ions in the industrial hydrometallurgical processes. The study of extraction of hydrogen chloride and nitric acids with the selected aminophosphinyl compounds allowed a discovery of substances with the low basicity, which were characterized by the low coefficient of the acids extraction. Highly effective extractants of Sc(III) were found possessing high coefficients of extraction and high degree of selectivity in the separation of Sc(III) ion from the ions of satellite metals.     

Preconcentration of Naphthalene, Biphenyl, and Acenaphthene on Fluoroplastic Sorbents

New fluoroplastic sorbents were proposed for the preconcentration of naphthalene, biphenyl, and acenaphthene from aqueous solutions. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were determined for the sorption of naphthalene, biphenyl, and acenaphthene on the F-2M, F-40P, and F-4AN sorbents. The optimum conditions for the extraction of compounds were calculated, and the desorption conditions were found.     

Specificity of noble metals dynamic sorption preconcentration on reversed-phase sorbents

The reversible sorption preconcentration of noble metals (NMs) using different schemes “sorbent–reagent–eluent” was investigated. The extraction of Au, Pd, Pt, Ir, Rh and Ru chlorocomplexes from hydrochloric acid solutions on hyper-crosslinked polysterene MN-200 in the form of ion associates with tributylamine (TBA) and 4-(n-octyl)diethylenetriamine (ODETA) was investigated. It was found that Pd, Pt and Au were quantitatively and reversibly extracted using TBA on hyper-crosslinked polysterene; the appropriate eluent for desorption was 1 M solution of HCl in ethanol. Ir, Rh and Ru under these conditions were not sorbed quantitatively. It was found that sorbent hydrophobicity is not the main characteristic that defines the efficiency of sorption of a particular NM ion associate. Different efficiencies of hyper-crosslinked polysterene MN-200 for sorption of square-planar chlorcomplexes of Pt, Pd and Au and octahedral complexes of Ir, Rh and Ru were found. For the first time, the sorbents with their own N-atoms – StrataX and StrataX-AW – were used for the sorption of Ir, Rh and Ru. Using these sorbents, the sorption of Ir was increased up to 95%, and the sorption of Ru and Rh was increased to about 40%. We can explain these results by nonspecific interaction of chlorcomplexes of Ir, Rh and Ru with ethylenediamine groups of the sorbent. Weak bases with large anions may be applied for desorption of Ir, Rh and Ru. Two schemes of dynamic sorption preconcentration of NMs from hydrochloric acid solutions were proposed – hyper-crosslinked polysterene MN-200 for the determination of Au, Pd, Pt, and StrataX-AW for Ir, Rh and Ru.     

X-ray fluorescence and atomic emission determination of cobalt in water using polyurethane foam sorbents

The conditions of analytical signal formation during direct X-ray fluorescence and arc atomic emission determination of metals using polyurethane foam sorbents were studied. A sorption spectroscopic technique of cobalt determination in water with preconcentration in the form of thiocyanate complexes based on simple ethers using polyurethane foam sorbents was developed. The linear calibration range was two orders of magnitude. With a cobalt concentration from 25 ml of water in the static mode, the lower limit of the metal content was 3 and 9 μg/l for X-ray fluorescence and atomic emission methods, respectively.     

Filters for the Preconcentration of Elements from Solutions

The main techniques for the preconcentration of elements on thin-layer filters are considered: sorption on filters with noncovalently immobilized reagents, bonded groups, and mechanically fixed sorbents and the extraction of elements on filters as poorly soluble and polymeric forms previously formed in solution. The matrix of the filters is cellulose, synthetic polymers of the linear and branched structures, synthetic fibers, reversed-phase silica gels, foamed polyurethanes, etc. The variation of the nature of the bonded group or the reagent introduced into the solution, the matrix material, and the technique for the immobilization of groups provides the preconcentration of elements with regard to the peculiarities of test materials and the method for the subsequent determination of elements. Methods for the determination of elements in different samples including preconcentration on filters are considered.     

Americium(III) sorption from multicomponent solutions by macrocyclic polyester-based sorbents

Americium sorption by crown-ether-impregnated polymeric sorbents from nitric acid solutions and multicomponent nitrate solutions that model process solutions was studied. Sorption of ballast elements by the unimpregnated Porolas-T support was studied. The sorption coefficients K _d of these elements on Porolas-T do not exceed 0.01. Sorption of the same elements by crown-ether-impregnated sorbents was also studied. Dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) and its alkyl derivatives were used. Sorption coefficients were determined for all ballast elements. At the final stage of the study, ²⁴¹Am sorption coefficients of from multi-component solutions were determined. The data obtained signify the utility of crown-ether-impregnated sorbents for recovering ²⁴¹Am from multicomponent technological solutions.     

Cellulose fibrous sorbents with conformationally flexible aminocarboxylic groups for preconcentration of metals

New cellulose fibrous sorbents, containing a diethylenetriamine tetraacetate groups, are proposed for the preconcentration of heavy metals. Quantitative extraction of heavy metals from river and sea water is achieved in a wide pH range (3–8) at a high solution flow rate (up to 100–150 volumes of sorbent per minute). Quantitative desorption of metals is achieved with a very small volume of the acid.     

Ion-exchange resins containing S-bonded dithizone and dehydrodithizone as functional groups : Part 1. Preparation of the Resins and Investigation of the Sorption of Noble Metals and Base Metals

The one-step reaction of dehydrodithizone with chloromethylated polystyrene yields the anion-exchanger P-TD. Reduction of the immobilized tetrazolium groups of P-TD produces a chelating resin, P-D, containing S-bonded dithizone as the functional group. Distribution coefficients as a function of acidity are presented for 27 metal ions, to establish the selectivity of these sorbents for noble metals. For gold and platinum group metals, the ion-exchangers show marked differences in loading capacities, rates of simultaneous sorption in static conditions and efficiencies in column tests. The P-TD anion exchanger seems to be more profitable than the P-D chelating resin for most purposes.