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.     

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 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 bismuth in concentrates and non-ferrous alloys by the iodide method after separations by diethyldithiocarbamate and xanthate extraction

A method for determining 0.0001-1% of bismuth in copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc and nickel sulphide concentrates is described. After sample decomposition, bismuth is separated from matrix and other elements, except lead and thallium(III), by chloroform extraction of its diethyldithiocarbamate complex, pH 11.5-12.0, from a sodium hydroxide medium containing citric acid, tartaric acid, EDTA and potassium cyanide as complexing agents. Following back-extraction of bismuth into 12M hydrochloric acid and reduction of thallium to the univalent state, bismuth is separated from co-extracted lead and thallium by chloroform extraction of its xanthate from a 2.5M hydrochloric acid-tartaric acid-ammonium chloride medium. Bismuth is then determined spectrophotometrically, at 337 or 460 nm, as the iodide. Interference from lead, which is co-extracted in mug-amounts as the xanthate and causes high results at 337 nm, is eliminated by washing the extract with a hydrochloric acid solution of the same composition as the medium used for extraction. The proposed method is also applicable to lead-, tin- and copper-base alloys.     

Determination of cobalt, nickel, lead, bismuth and indium in ores, soils and related materials by atomic-absorption spectrometry after separation by xanthate extraction

A method for determining approximately 0.5, mug/g or more of cobalt, nickel and lead and approximately 3 mug/g or more of bismuth and indium in ores, soils and related materials is described. After sample decomposition and dissolution of the salts in dilute hydrochloric-tartaric acid solution, iron(III) is reduced with ascorbic acid and the resultant iron(II) is complexed with ammonium fluoride. Cobalt, nickel, lead, bismuth and indium are subsequently separated from iron, aluminium, zinc and other matrix elements by a triple chloroform extraction of their xanthate complexes at pH 2.00 +/- 0.05. After the removal of chloroform by evaporation and the destruction of the xanthates with nitric and perchloric acids, the solution is evaporated to dryness and the individual elements are ultimately determined in a 20% v/v hydrochloric acid medium containing 1000 mug/ml potassium by atomic-absorption spectrometry with an air-acetylene flame. Co-extraction of arsenic and antimony is avoided by volatilizing them as the bromides during the decomposition step. Small amounts of co-extracted molybdenum, iron and copper do not interfere.     

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.     

Fast determination of molybdenum and tellurium by neutron activation analysis

The utilization of 14.6-min ¹⁰¹Mo and 25-min ^101gTe for the determination of molybdenum and tellurium in biological materials by radiochemical neutron activation analysis is described for the first time. Radioisotopes were separated from the samples activated in a thermal neutron flux of about l0¹⁴n cm^-2 s^-1. The radiochemical procedure for molybdenum involves extraction of Mo⁺⁺ from 6 M HCl into diethylether, re-extraction into water, precipitation as oximate, and measurement of the gamma activity of ¹⁰¹Tc. The tellurium was separated by reduction to the element with SO₂ in 3 M HCl, dissolution in HNO₃, and reprecipitation as the element for the measurement of radioactivity. The sensitivity was estimated at ca. 10 ng at the level of confidence of 95%. The methods were tested by analyzing NBS- standard Bovine Liver and Orchard Leaves for molybdenum; the concentrations found were 3.2 ± 0.1 μg g^-1 and 300 ± 60 ng g^-1, respectively. The tellurium content of bovine liver was estimated at 90 ± 15 ng g^-1.     

Spectrophotometric determination of zinc, cadmium, and lead after extraction of their morpholine-4-carbodithioates into molten naphthalene and replacement by copper

Zinc, cadmium, and lead react quantitatively in the pH ranges of 3.9–9.2, 3.5–11.2, and 5.5–10.5, respectively, to form water insoluble and thermally stable complexes which are easily extracted into molten naphthalene. The solid naphthalene containing the colorless complex is dissolved in chloroform and then replaced by copper to develop a yellow color in the chloroform layer. The absorbance in each case is measured at 435 nm against reagent blank. Beer's law holds over the concentration ranges of 3.5–95.0, 3.0–105.0, and 8.5–125. 0 μg for zinc, cadmium, and lead, respectively, into 10 ml of the chloroform solution. The molar absorptivities are calculated to be Zn, 1.048 × 10⁴ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹; Cd, 1.054 × 10⁴ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, and Pb, 1.014 × 10⁴ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ with sensitivities in terms of Sandell's definition of 0.0062 μg Zn/cm², 0.010 μg Cd/cm², and 0.020 μg Pb/cm², respectively. Ten replicate determinations of sample solutions containing 30 μg of zinc, 18.7 μg of cadmium, and 42.5 μg of lead give mean absorbances 0.480, 0.175, and 0.208 with standard deviations of 0.0017, 0.0013, and 0.0015 or relative standard deviations of 0.35, 0.74, and 0.72%, respectively. The interference of various ions has been studied and the method has been applied to the determination of cadmium in various synthetic mixtures and zinc and lead in some standard reference materials.     

Determination of aluminium in molybdenum and tungsten metals, iron, steel and ferrous and non-ferrous alloys with pyrocatechol violet

A method for determining 0.001-0.10% of aluminium in molybdenum and tungsten metals is described. After sample dissolution, aluminium is separated from the matrix materials by chloroform extraction of its acetylacetone complex, at pH 6.5, from an ammonium acetate-hydrogen peroxide medium, then back-extracted into 12M hydrochloric add. Following separation of most co-extracted elements, except for beryllium and small amounts of chroinium(III) and copper(II), by a combined ammonium pyrrolidincdithiocarbamate-cupfen-on-chlorofonn extraction, aluminium is determined spectrophotometrically with Pyrocatechol Violet at 578 nm. Chromium interferes during colour development but beryllium, in amounts equivalent to the aluminium concentration, does not cause significant error in the results. Interference from copper(II) is eliminated by reduction with ascorbic acid. The proposed method is also applicable to iron, steel, ferrovanadium, and copper-base alloys after preliminary removal of the matrix elements by a mercury cathode separation.     

Ethylisobutrazine hydrochloride as a selective and sensitive reagent for the spectrophotometric determination of vanadium(V) and its application to vanadium-bearing minerals and alloys

Ethylisobutrazine hydrochloride is proposed as a selective and sensitive reagent for the spectrophotometric determination of vanadium(V). It forms a red-colored species with vanadium(V) in 3.5–6.5 M phosphoric acid medium. An eight-fold molar excess of reagent is necessary for the full development of the color. The red species exhibits an absorption maximum at 518 nm with a molar absorptivity of 9.75 × 10³ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹. Sandell's sensitivity is 5.2 ng cm⁻². Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0.1–6.2 ppm of vanadium(V) with an optimum concentration range of 0.4–6.0 ppm. The effects of acidity, time, temperature, order of addition of reagents, reagent concentration, and the interferences from various ions, are reported. The method has been used successfully for the determination of vanadium in ilmenite and vanadium steels that contain chromium, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, copper, tungsten, and titanium.     

Determination of selenium and tellurium in electrolytic copper by anodic stripping voltammetry at a gold film electrode

A simple procedure for the determination of selenium and tellurium in electrolytic copper is described. These two elements are first separated from copper by passing an ammoniacal solution of the sample through Chelex-100 resin. Voltammetric interferences from nitrite liberated during the dissolution of the metal sample in nitric acid and from arsenic and antimony present in the metal are eliminated by addition of hydrogen peroxide. Excess of peroxide is quickly decomposed by the copper(II) ions present. As little as 0.01 μg Se g^-1 and 0.02 μg Te g^-1 can be determined; relative standard deviations (n = 5) are in the ranges 1.4–3.7% for selenium concentrations of 7.3–0.6 ppm in copper and 1.6—3.1% for tellurium concentrations of 4.6—0.5 ppm.     

Solvent extraction of molybdenum(VI) with 1-Phenyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridone

Summary The extraction of molybdenum(VI) from aqueous hydrochloric or perchloric acid solution by 1-phenyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridone (HX) dissolved in chloroform has been studied. Molybdenum(VI) is quantitatively extracted from aqueous solution in the range 0.001–1M hydrogen ion concentration. Outside this range, the extraction of molybdenum decreases and at 10M acid concentration or at pH>6 practically all the molybdenum remains in the aqueous phase. Molybdenum can be stripped with 10M HCl. The composition of the extracted molybdenum(VI) species was found to be MoO₂X₂. This complex, dissolved in chloroform, has a maximum absorbance at 317 nm and a molar absorptivity of 2.5×10⁴ 1 · mole^–1 · cm^–1. Owing to this property, molybdenum can be determined spectrophotometrically directly in the organic phase.

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Zusammenfassung Die Extraktion von Mo(VI) aus wäßriger Salzsäure oder Perchlorsäure mit 1-Phenyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridon (HX) in chloroformischer Lösung wurde untersucht. Sie erfolgt quantitativ bei 0,001–1-molarer H-Ionenkonzentration. Außerhalb dieses Bereiches fällt die Extraktionsrate ab und aus 10-m Säure bzw. bei pH>6 bleibt praktisch alles Molybdän in der wäßrigen Phase. Mit 10-m Salzsäure kann man Mo abtrennen. Die Zusammensetzung der extrahierten Mo-Verbindung entspricht der Formel MoO₂X₂. Dieser in Chloroform gelöste Komplex hat ein Absorptionsmaximum bei 317 nm und eine molare Extinktion von 2,5 · 10⁴l · Mol^–1 cm^–1. Demzufolge läßt sich Molybdän unmittelbar in der organischen Phase spektrophotometrisch bestimmen.

     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum(V) in molybdenum steels

An extraction spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of traces of molybdenum present in molybdenum steels which is based on the extraction of the orange-red molybdenum-thiocyanate-acetonethiosemicarbazone complex into chloroform from hydrochloric acid medium. The complex has an absorption maximum at 472 nm with a molar absorptivity of 1.9 × 10⁴ liters mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹. Beer's law is valid over the concentration range 0.1–9.5 ppm of molybdenum with an optimum concentration range of 0.4–9 ppm. The equilibrium shift method indicates 1:4:2 composition for molybdenumthiocyanate-acetonethiosemicarbazone complex. The effect of acidity, reagent concentrations, temperature, and interferences from various ions are reported.     

Determination of silver, antimony, bismuth, copper, cadmium and indium in ores, concentrates and related materials by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after methyl isobutyl ketone extraction as iodides

Methods for determining ~ 0.2 mug g or more of silver and cadmium, ~ 0.5 mug g or more of copper and ~ 5 mug g or more of antimony, bismuth and indium in ores, concentrates and related materials are described. After sample decomposition and recovery of antimony and bismuth retained by lead and calcium sulphates, by co-precipitation with hydrous ferric oxide at pH 6.20 +/- 0.05, iron(III) is reduced to iron(II) with ascorbic acid, and antimony, bismuth, copper, cadmium and indium are separated from the remaining matrix elements by a single methyl isobutyl ketone extraction of their iodides from ~2M sulphuric acid-0.1M potassium iodide. The extract is washed with a sulphuric acid-potassium iodide solution of the same composition to remove residual iron and co-extracted zinc, and the extracted elements are stripped from the extract with 20% v v nitric acid-20% v v hydrogen peroxide. Alternatively, after the removal of lead sulphate by filtration, silver, copper, cadmium and indium can be extracted under the same conditions and stripped with 40% v v nitric acid-25% v v hydrochloric acid. The strip solutions are treated with sulphuric and perchloric acids and ultimately evaporated to dry ness. The individual elements are determined in a 24% v v hydrochloric acid medium containing 1000 mug of potassium per ml by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with an air-acetylene flame. Tin, arsenic and molybdenum are not co-extracted under the conditions above. Results obtained for silver, antimony, bismuth and indium in some Canadian certified reference materials by these methods are compared with those obtained earlier by previously published methods.     

Ultraviolet spectrophotometric determination of tellurium

Summary An ultraviolet spectrophotometric method for the determination of tellurium is proposed which is based on the formation of tetrakis-1-pyrrolidinecarbodithioate tellurium(IV) which is extractable with chloroform. Conformity to Beer's law was observed. The molar absorptivity at 257 nm is 8.12 · 10⁴ 1. mole^–1, cm^–1.

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Zusammenfassung Ein UV-spektrophotometrisches Verfahren für die Bestimmung von Tellur wurde vorgeschlagen, das auf der Reaktion von Te(IV) mit vier Äquivalenten 1-Pyrolidindithiocarbamat und der Extraktion des Reaktionsproduktes mit Chloroform beruht. Das Beersche Gesetz ist erfüllt. Die molare Extinktion bei 257 nm beträgt 8,12 · 10⁴ 1.Mol^–1.cm^–1.

     

Determination of silver in ores, concentrates, zinc process solutions, copper metal and copper-base alloys by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after separation by extraction of the tribenzylamine-silver bromide complex

A method for determining 0.1 μg/g or more of silver in ores and concentrates and 0.001 μg/ml or more of silver in zinc process solutions is described. Silver is separated from the matrix elements by chloroform extraction of the tribenzylamine—silver bromide ion-association complex from 0.08M potassium bromide—2M sulphuric acid and stripped with 9M hydrobromic acid. This solution is evaporated to dryness and organic material is destroyed with nitric and perchloric acids. Silver is determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry in an air—acetylene flame, at 328.1 nm, in a 10% v/v hydrochloric acid—1% v/v diethylenetriamine medium. Cadmium, bismuth and molybdenum are partly co-extracted but do not interfere. The method is also applicable to copper metal and copper-base alloys. Results obtained by this method are compared with those obtained by a fire-assay/atomic-absorption method.     

Determination of molybdenum in ores, iron and steel by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry after separation by alpha-benzoinoxime extraction or further xanthate extraction

A simple and moderately rapid method for determining 0.001% or more of molybdenum in ores, iron and steel is described. After sample decomposition, molybdenum is separated from the matrix elements, except tungsten, by chloroform extraction of its alpha-benzoinoxime complex from a 1.75 M hydrochloric-0.13 M tartaric acid medium. Depending on the amount of tungsten present, molybdenum, if necessary, is back-extracted into concentrated ammonia solution and subsequently separated from coextracted tungsten by chloroform extraction of its xanthate complex from a 1.5M hydrochloric-0.13M tartaric acid medium. It is ultimately determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry, at 313.3 nm, in a 15% v/v hydrochloric acid medium containing 1,000 microg/ml of aluminium as the chloride, after evaporation of either extract to dryness with nitric, perchloric and sulphuric acids and dissolution of the salts in dilute ammonia solution.     

Reversed phase partition chromatographic separation of antimony (III) with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid

A new method is proposed for the extractive Chromatographic separation of antimony. Antimony is extracted from 0.001–0.5M hydrochloric acid by a silica gel column coated with bis (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid stripped with 2–8M hydrochloric, nitric or sulphuric acid, and determined spectrophotometrically at 555 nm as its complex with phenylfluorone. Antimony can thus be separated from a large number of elements, including iron, manganese, copper and thallium. Arsenic, antimony, bismuth and tin can be sequentially separated.     

The spectrophotometric determination of tellurium with bismuthiol II after separation with 4,4'-methylenediantipyrene and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane

Tellurium can be isolated from most other elements by the extraction of its complex with 4,4'-methylenediantipyrene into 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane. After isolation tellurium can be determined photometrically as its complex with bismuthiol II in chloroform. The procedure can be applied to copper and copper-based materials in the presence of many elements normally associated with copper, including selenium. The procedure is lengthy but straightforward, precise and subject to few interferences.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of copper(II) with cryptand 222 with erythrosine B as the counter-ion

Copper is extracted at pH 5.5 with 3 × 10^–4 M cryptand 222 in dichloromethane with 3 × 10^–4 M erythrosine B as the counter-ion. It can be stripped with 0.5M perchloric acid and determined by atomic absorption spectrometry at 324.7 nm. Copper has been separated from multicomponent mixtures containing zinc, mercury, iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are generally encountered in environmental samples.