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.     

Capillary electrophoresis and circular dichroism study of trichosanthin and its mutants

A new chromogenic reagent, 2-(2-quinolylazo)-5-diethylaminoaniline (QADEAA) was synthesized. A highly sensitive, selective and rapid method for the determination of silver based on the rapid reaction of silver (I) with QADEAA has been developed. In the presence of sodium citrate-sodium hydroxide buffer solution (pH 6.5) and sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) medium, QADEAA reacts with silver to form a violet complex of molar ratio 1:2 (silver to QADEAA). The molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.39x10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) at 580 nm. Beer's law is obeyed in the range of 0.01-0.6 mug ml(-1). The relative standard deviation for 11 replicate samples of 0.2 mug ml(-1) is 1.67%. This method can be applied to the determination of silver in water with satisfactory results.     

Spectrofluorimetric determination of guanethidine sulphate, guanoxan sulphate and amiloride hydrochloride in tablets and in biological fluids using 9,10-phenanthraquinone

A highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of some drugs of the monosubstituted guanidine derivatives in laboratory made tablets, in spiked human serum and in urine samples is presented. The method is based on the reaction of guanethidine sulphate (I), guanoxan sulphate (II) and amiloride hydrochloride (III) with 9,10-phenanthraquinone (IV) to give highly fluorescent derivatives. The linearity ranges were found to be 0.06-0.96 mug/ml for (I) and (II) and 0.04-0.28 mug/ml for (III), with relative standard deviation less than 2%. Mean percentage recoveries for tablets were found to be 99.9 +/- 1.3, 100.5 +/- 1.1 and 100.0 +/- 1.6 for I, II and III, respectively. For I and III the results are highly correlated with the B.P. methods. Using the synchronous fluorimetry, differentiation between I and II was possible. Chloroform, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate have been used to extract I, II and III, respectively from serum and urine at basic pH, followed by applying the proposed fluorimetric method. Percentage recoveries were found to be 95.7-102.2%. The limit of detection is 0.04 mug/ml for I and II and 0.02 mug/ml for III.     

Katalytische bestimmung von silberspuren in wabetariger lösung und nach extraktion

The application of the catalysed oxidation of Bromopyrogallol Red by potassium per- sulphate for silver determination is discussed. In aqueous solution silver concentrations of 0.5- 1 mug/ml can be determined and 1- 13 ng/ml in the presence of 1, 10-phenanthroline as activator. In combination with solvent extraction, catalytic determination of the extracted silver is possible even in presence of 200 mug of iron(III), cobalt(II) and palladium(II). By means of an automatic variant of the simultaneous comparison method a more sensitive determination (0.2-20 ng/ml) was achieved.     

Preconcentration of iron (III), cobalt (II) and copper (II) nitroso-R complexes on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide-naphthalene adsorbent

Iron, cobalt and copper form coloured water soluble anionic complexes with disodium 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3-6-disulphonate (nitroso R-salt). The anionic complex is retained quantitatively as a water insoluble neutral ion associated complex (M-nitroso R-TDBA) on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium iodide on naphthalene (TDBA(+)I(-)-naphthalene) packed column in the pH range of: Fe(III): 3.1-6.5, Co: 3.4-8.5 and Cu 5.9-8.0 when their solutions are passed individually over this adsorbent at a flow rate of 0.5-5.0 ml/min. The solid mass consisting of an ion associated metal complex along with naphthalene is dissolved out of the column with 5 ml dimethylformamide/chloroform and metals are determined spectrophotometrically. The absorbance is measured at 710 nm for iron, 425 nm for cobalt and 480 nm for copper. Beers law is obeyed in the concentration range 9.2-82 mug of iron, 425 nm for cobalt cobalt and 3.0-62 mug of copper in 5 ml of final DMF/CHCl(3) solution. The molar absorptivities are calculated to be Fe: 7.58 x 10(3), Co: 1.33 x 10(4) and Cu: 4.92 x 10(4)M(-1)cm(-1). Ten replicate determinations containing 25 mug of iron, 9.96 mug of cobalt and 3.17 mug of copper gave mean absorbances 0.677, 0.450 and 0.490 with relative standard deviations of 0.88, 0.98 and 0.92%, respectively. The interference of large number of metals and anions on the estimations of these metals has been studied. The optimized conditions so developed have been employed for the trace determination of these metals in standard alloys, waste water and fly ash samples.     

New spot-test for silver(I) based on double iodide formation with bismuth(III)

The formation of an intense brownish-maroon or maroon-red product by the interaction of silver(I) and bismuth(III) solution in the presence of iodide forms the basis of a new and specific spot-test procedure for silver. The test is conducted on a spot plate with 2 or 3 drops of 2% potassium iodide solution, 1 drop of 1% bismuth(III) nitrate solution, and 1 drop of test solution. Limit of detection is 0.01 mug; limit of dilution is 1:5 x 10(6). Most cations and anions do not interfere. Only Tl(I), Cs, S(2)O(2-)(3), EDTA, pyridine, excess of thiourea, oxidizing ions (NO(-)(2), IO(-)(3), IO(-)(4), MnO(-)(4), BrO(-)(3), and S(2)O(2-)(8)) and ions such as Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), SCN(-), and N(-)(3) which cause precipitation of silver, interfere. The product formed is most probably Ag(2)BiI(5).     

Gas-chromatographic determination of ultramicro amounts of selenium in pure sulphuric acid

Ultramicro amounts of selenium in pure sulphuric acid are converted into selenous acid with a bromine-bromide redox buffer solution. The selenous acid reacts quantitatively with 4-nitro-o-phenyl-enediamine to form 5-nitropiaselenol which can be extracted into toluene. The extract is very sensitive to electron-capture detection in gas chromatography, and the sensitivity is higher than that of 5-chloro-or 4, 5-dichloro-piaselenol. The calibration curve (peak heights) is linear up to 0.15 mug of selenium in 1 ml of toluene. Pure sulphuric acid, commercially available, contains 10(-6)$ 10(-5) % selenium.     

The separation of W(V) from HCl-KSCN medium on polyurethane foam sorbents for its spectrophotometric determination in steels and silicates

A simple procedure for selective sorption of tungsten is described. The method involves reduction of W(VI) to W(V) with tin(II) chloride (2%, w/v) at 8-9M hydrochloric acid, formation of the W(V)-SCN complex with 0.2M KSCN and its sorption on polyurethane foam within 20 min. The sorbed complex is then eluted with acidified acetone (1 ml of 1M hydrochloric acid and 8 ml of acetone) followed by addition of 1 ml of 0.1M KSCN to the eluent. The method has been applied to the spectrophotometric determination of tungsten in steels and silicates by measuring the absorbance of the eluted solution at 400 nm. Beer's law is obeyed for the range 0.1-12 mug W/ml. Other elements, e.g., Co(III) (50 mug/ml), Cu(II) (10 mug/ml), Ti(IV) (20 mug/ml), V(V) (10 mug/ml) and Mo(VI) (0.5 mug/ml) have no effect on the method. Interference of copper, up to 100 mug/ml has been eliminated by masking with thiourea and that due to molybdenum by prior separation with thioglycollic acid on PUF. The method has been verified with standard samples.     

Chemical reduction and spectrophotometric determination of silver, copper and nickel

Silver(I), copper(II) and nickel(II) can be reduced to the metallic state by formaldehyde at pH 11, chromium(II) in 2.5M sulphuric acid, and borohydride at pH 5.5-6.0, respectively. Reoxidation of these metals with iron(III) in the presence of Ferrozine enables their determination at concentration below 1 mug/ml by measurement of the absorbance of the iron(II)-Ferrozine complex at 562 nm, with a precision better than 3%. The apparent molar absorptivities for silver, copper and nickel are 2.78 x 10(4), 5.56 x 10(4) and 5.58 x 10(4) l.mole(-1).cm(-1), respectively. The average thickness of silver films on glass surfaces can be determined in the way.     

Extractive photometric determination of gallium with 8-quinolinol in layered crystals of bismuth telluride-estimation of the determination limit

A method for determining microgram amounts of gallium in milligram samples of layered monocrystals of the type A(V)(2)B(VI)(3) is described. For the separation of 1-5 mug of gallium(III) from a large excess of bismuth in a single extraction the recommended conditions are pH 3.6-4.2 (acetate buffer, V(aq) 40 ml), an adequate excess of 8-quinolinol for complete extraction and of thiosulphate for masking bismuth. The absorbance of a chloroform extract (V(org) = 10 ml) is measured at 392.5 nm in a 50-mm cell against a blank extract concurrently obtained with a solution of pure Bi(2)Te(3). Reference polycrystalline materials are used to check the precision and accuracy of the method. In routine analysis of layered monocrystals a relative standard deviation of 4-8% is to be expected for about 1 mug of gallium in the extraction system. Estimation of the limit of determination, based on two statistical models, is discussed with respect to the error of the method and the fluctuation of the blank.     

First derivative of the ratio spectra method for resolving iodide and thiocyanate in binary mixtures

A new method is described to analyse the binary mixture of iodide (I(-)) and thiocyanate (SCN(-)) ions, using the first derivative of the ratio spectra obtained by mathematical treatment of the data. The method is based on the formation of mixed ligand complexes between benzohydroxamic acid (BHA), vanadium (V) and I(-) or SCN(-) and their extraction in ammonium quaternary salt dissolved in toluene. Calibration graphs for 2-9 mug/ml of I(-) and for 2-6 mug ml of SCN(-) were established by measuring the analytical signals at 376 nm for I(-) and at 400.6 nm for SCN(-). The method has been applied for determining both ions in waste water of an power station at ng/ml levels after a preconcentration step with C(18), without any separation step.     

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.     

Fluorimetric trace determination of cerium(III) with sodium triphosphate

Sodium triphosphate acts as a specific reagent for enhancing the fluorescence intensity of cerium(III). The purpose of this study was to investigate the spectrofluorimetric determination of trace amounts of Ce(III) in sodium triphosphate solution. The excitation and emission wavelengths are 303.5 nm and 353 nm respectively. Optimum sodium triphosphate concentration is found to be 0.074 g l(-1) at room temperature. The fluorescence varies linearly with the concentration of cerium(III) in the range 0.001-45 mug ml(-1). The detection limit is 9.4 x 10(-4)mug ml(-1). The relative standard deviations for 30 mug ml(-1) and 0.05 mug ml(-1) Ce(III) in 0.074 g l(-1) sodium triphosphate solution are 1.1% and 0.72% respectively. Quenching effects of other lanthanides and some inorganic anions are described. This method is a direct and rapid analytical method for the determination of Ce(III) in rare earth mixtures and cerium concentrates.     

The use of 1-[pyridyl-(2)-azo]-naphthol-(2) in the presence of TX-100 and N,N'-diphenylbenzamidine for the spectrophotometric determination of copper in real samples

A simple and sensitive field detection and spectrophotometric method for determination of copper described herewith is based on the formation of a red coloured species of copper(II) with 1-[pyridyl-(2)-azo]-naphthol-(2) (PAN), TX-100 and N,N'-diphenylbenzamidine (DPBA) at pH range 7.8-9.4. The red coloured Cu(II)-PAN-(TX-100)-DPBA complex in chloroform shows maximum absorbance at 520 nm with molar absorptivity value of 1.14x10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1). The detection limit of the method is 2 ng ml(-1) organic phase. The system obeys Beer's law up to 0.6 mug Cu(II) ml(-1) in organic solution. Most of the common metal ions generally found associated with copper do not interfere. The repeatability of the method was checked by finding relative standard deviation (RSD) (n=10) value for solutions each containing 0.2 mug ml(-1) of Cu(II) and the RSD value of the method was found to be 1.5%. The validity of the method has been satisfactorily examined for the determination of copper in soil and airborne dust particulate samples.     

Kinetic spectrofluorimetric determination of silver, based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of pyrocatechol-1-aldehyde 2-pyridylhydrazone by peroxodisulphate in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline as activator

A kinetic fluorimetric method for the determination of silver is described, based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of pyrocatechol-1-aldehyde 2-pyridylhydrazone by peroxodisulphate. In aqueous solution silver concentrations of 0.2-0.8 mug ml can be determined, and 10-80 ng ml in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline as activator. The fluorescent species obtained (lambda(ex) 357 nm, lambda(em) 445 nm) results from oxidation of the reagent. The kinetic parameters and the interferences are reported, and the method is applied to the determination of silver in developed panchromatic plates.     

Spectrophotometric determination of silver with cadion 2B and triton X-100

A highly sensitive and selective procedure for spectrophotometric determination of silver has been developed. At pH 9.2, in the presence of Triton X-100, silver forms a dark red-violet complex with cadion 2B which has an absorption maximum at 565 nm. The molar absorptivity is 1.0 x 10(5) l.mole(-1).cm(-1). Beer's law is obeyed for silver in the range 0.02-0.8 mug ml . The colour reaction, if EDTA is used as a masking agent, is free from interference by the 20 cations and 19 anions investigated. Only Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), S(2-) and CN(-) interfere and must be absent. This method has been used to determine silver in waste-water.     

Catalytic activity and complexation-iv 2,2'-Bipyridyl as activator for the catalytic ultramicro determination of silver

The activation of the catalytic persulphate oxidation of sulphanilic acid when the catalyst, silver(I), is suitably complexed, is discussed. 2,2'-Bipyridyl is proposed as activator as it accelerates the rate-determining step of the process-the oxidation of silver(I) to silver(II). The mechanism of activation is investigated and discussed in detail. On the basis of these investigations a catalytic method has been developed for the determination of silver(I), with a sensitivity of 4 x 10(-4)mug ml and +/-7.6% relative error.     

An indirect method for the spectrofluorimetric determination of trace amounts of germanium after extraction as an ion association complex with rhodamine B in the presence of chromotropic acid

A highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of 0.05-2.00 mug germanium is described. Germanium is treated with chromotropic acid at pH 2.5 and the resultant anionic complex is extracted as an ion pair with rhodamine into toluene. Addition of butanol to the organic extract releases the fluorescent dye and facilitates its measurement at 570 nm after exciting at 540 nm. The method provides a detection limit of 0.003 mug ml(-1) and is virtually free from interference from extraneous ions. The relative standard deviaiton is 2.9% for ten determinations of 1.0 mug germanium. The method has been applied to the determination of germanium in various ores, minerals and rock samples.     

The use of phenylfluorone in the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride and Triton X-100 for the spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) in blood serum

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for determination of copper(II) is based on the formation of a blue coloured complex of Cu(II) with 9-phenyl-2,3,7-trihydroxy-6-fluorone (PF) in the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride (CP) and Triton X-100, has been developed. Optimum concentrations of PF, CP, Triton X-100 and pH ensuring maximum absorbance were defined. The complex Cu(II)-PF-CP-Triton X-100 shows maximum absorbance at 595 nm with a molar absorptivity value of 9.67x10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1). The detection limit of the method is 0.028 mug ml(-1). Beer's law is obeyed for copper concentrations in the range 0.04-0.4 mug ml(-1). The studies of the effect of foreign ions on determination of copper, show that the selectivity of the method is poor. The cations of alkali metals and anions Br(-), Cl(-), I(-), F(-), NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-), CH(3)COO(-), SO(4)(2-), S(2)O(3)(2-), PO(4)(3-), citrates (examined in 1000-fold molar excess over copper) do not affect the determination. All cations forming complexes with PF have an interfering effect. The statistical evaluation of the method was carried out for six determinations using 10 mug of Cu and the following results were obtained: the standard deviation, SD=0.042, the confidence interval mu(95)=10.1+/-0.1 mug Cu. The method has been applied for determination of copper in blood serum.