Solvent extraction of thiocyanate complexes of cobalt(II) by 2-benzylpyridine/benzene from aqueous acid solutions

Selective separation of Co(II) from aqueous acidic solutions containing thiocyanate ions has been achieved by using 2-benzylpyridine (BPy) dissolved in benzene. Optimum conditions of extraction by 0.1M BPy are: 0.05M (HCl, HNO₃) or 0.01M H₂SO₄+1 M KSCN. Ascorbate and sulfate ions do not affect the extraction of cobalt(II), whereas acetate, citrate and oxalate ions lower the extraction. Separation of cobalt(II) from Mn, Cr, Hf, Fe, Y, Ce, Cd, Sr, Cs and several rare earth elements can be achieved in a single extraction. Slope analysis by log-log plot reveals that neutral cobalt-thiocyanate species is extracted with the probable formula of the extracted complex as Co(BPY)₃ (SCN)₂.     

Extraction of mercury from aqueous iodide solutions by trilaurylamine N-oxide and its subsequent determination by atomic absorption spectrometry

A solvent extraction technique using 0.01M solution of trilaurylamine N-oxide in benzene as extractant has been used to concentrate mercury efficiently from water solutions with or without the presence of 0.02M KI in weakly acidic media. In addition to unmodified aqueous solutions, mercury can be extracted quantitatively from aqueous iodide solutions that are up to 1M in HCl, H₂SO₄, and HNO₃ in a single equilibration. Distribution coefficients and separation factors of several elements relative to mercury(II) are reported for media that contain 0.1 M HCl and 0.02M KI. The reagent is superior to aliphatic amines and quaternary amines for the extraction of mercury from aqueous iodide solutions.     

Tandem on-line continuous separations for atomic spectroscopic indirect analysis: Iodide determination by ICP-AES

A sensitive and selective indirect determination of iodide by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) based on the principle of tandem on-line continuous separations as an alternative means of introducing samples into plasmas is proposed. Iodide is continuously extracted as an ion-pair into xylene by mixing the sample with Hg(II) and dipyridil solutions. The organic phase (containing the analyte in [Hg(Dipy)₂]I₂ form) is on-line continuously mixed with NaBH₄ (in DMF) and acetic acid solutions. Mercury vapour continuously generated from this organic phase is separated in a classical U-type gas-liquid separation device. The system has been optimized for the continuous extraction of KI, for the direct generation of cold mercury vapour from xylene and for the final ICP-AES determination of mercury. The optimised method has been applied to the determination of iodide (detection limit 20 ng/ml of iodide) in table salt and in synthetic samples. Very good agreement between found and certified results was observed. The usefulness and convenience of such alternative sample chemical pretreatment/presentation to the ICP is thus demonstrated for indirect determinations to be carried out by atomic spectroscopy methods.     

Studies of radioactivity and heavy metals in phosphate fertilizer

The extraction of mercury(II) from chloride and thiocyanate solutions has been studied by tracer techniques using bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulphoxide (B2EHSO) in benzene as an extractant. These extraction data have been analyzed theoretically by taking into account complexation of the metal in the aqueous phase by inorganic ligands and plausible complexation in the organic phase. The results demonstrate that Hg(II) is extracted as HgX₂ and HgX₂·nB2EHSO (where X=Cl^– or SCN^– andn=1 or 2). The effect of the foreign ions on the extraction of Hg(II) has also been investigated.     

Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Hg(II) with N1-Hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

Mercury is a highly toxic metal, of which even small doses (<200 ng mL⁻¹) can cause serious problems for humans, plants, animals and microorganisms, including marine species and freshwater organisms. Hence, a simple, fast, highly selective and sensitive and accurate method for the detection of mercury in the environmental, clinical or biological samples is necessary. A new, sensitive and selective method for the determination of Hg(II) with 5 % N¹-hydroxy-N¹,N²-diphenylbenzamidine modified carbon paste electrode has been developed. Hg(II) was accumulated for 210 s on the surface of the modified electrode using 0.1 M CH₃COONa of pH 7 at −0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl, followed by electrochemical stripping with SWASV in 0.1 M NH₄Cl at pH 4. The linear range is 0.02–10 μM Hg(II) with limit of detection of 1.28 nM. The method has RSDs of 3.7 %. The method was applied for the determination Hg(II) in five types of water samples. The recoveries were in the range 97.8–103 %. The proposed method was found to be highly selective and sensitive and has many attractive features compared to previous reports such as low cost, simplicity of electrode preparation, long term stability, fast response, easy renewable ability, and reasonable short accumulation time.     

Ion-imprinted polymethacrylic microbeads as new sorbent for preconcentration and speciation of mercury

Metal ion-imprinted polymer particles have been prepared by copolymerization of methacrylic acid as monomer, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as cross-linking agent and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator, in the presence of Hg(II)-1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol complex. The separation and preconcentration characteristics of the Hg-ion-imprinted microbeads for inorganic mercury have been investigated by batch procedure. The optimal pH value for the quantitative sorption is 7. The adsorbed inorganic mercury is easily eluted by 2 mL 4 M HNO₃. The adsorption capacity of the newly synthesized Hg ion-imprinted microbeads is 32.0 μmol g⁻¹ for dry copolymer. The selectivity of the copolymer toward inorganic mercury (Hg(II)) ion is confirmed through the comparison of the competitive adsorptions of Cd(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Zn(II)) and high values of the selectivity and distribution coefficients have been calculated. Experiments performed for selective determination of inorganic mercury in mineral and sea waters showed that the interfering matrix does not influence the extraction efficiency of Hg ion-imprinted microbeads. The detection limit for inorganic mercury is 0.006 μg L⁻¹ (3σ), determined by cold vapor atomic adsorption spectrometry. The relative standard deviation varied in the range 5-9 % at 0.02-1 μg L⁻¹ Hg levels. The new Hg-ion-imprinted microbeads have been tested and applied for the speciation of Hg in river and mineral waters: inorganic mercury has been determined selectively in nondigested sample, while total mercury e.g. sum of inorganic and methylmercury, has been determined in digested sample.     

The extraction of mercury(II), silver(I), cobalt(II) and cadmium(II) by dioctylarsinic acid in chloroform

Dioctylarsinic acid (HDOAA) in chloroform solution has been investigated as a reagent for the extraction of Hg(II), Ag(I), Co(II), and Cd(II). Silver, cobalt and cadmium are not extracted below pH 7. An extraction coefficient of 1.1, constant over the pH range 1–6.5, was observed for Hg(II). With HCl concentrations of 1–8 M the extractability of mercury decreased slowly, reaching E_a⁰ = 0.05 at 8 M HCl. Silver formed a silver dioctylarsinate precipitate which collected at the interface. The extraction coefficients for Hg(II), Co(II) and Cd(II) increased above pH 7 to values of 20 (pH 9.1), 30 (pH 8.0), and 23 (pH 10), respectively. Reagent- and pH-dependence studies indicated that Co(II) and Cd(II) are extracted as M(DOAA)₂ or M(DOAA)Cl through interaction of HDOAA with M(OH)₂ or M(OH)⁺. Mercury was extracted from solutions of pH 1–6.5 as HgCl₂ (HDOAA)_2.5.     

Iodide‐Selective Electrodes Based on Bis[N(2‐methyl‐phenyl) 4‐Nitro‐thiobenzamidato]mercury(II) and Bis[N‐phenyl 3,5‐Dinitro‐thiobenzamidato]mercury(II) Carriers

Highly selective poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrodes based on recently synthesized mercury complexes including Hg(Nmpntb)₂ and Hg(Npdntb)₂ as new carriers for iodide‐selective electrodes by incorporating the membrane ingredients on the surface of graphite electrodes are reported. The effect of various parameters including the membrane composition, pH and possible interfering anions were investigated on the response properties of the electrodes. Both sensors exhibited Nernstian responses toward iodide over a wide concentration range of 7×10^?7 to 0.1 M and 1×10^?6 to 0.1 M, with slopes of 59.6±0.8 and 58.9±0.9 mV per decade of iodide concentration and detection limit of 3×10^?7 M and 7×10^?7 for Hg(Npdntb)₂ and Hg(Nmpntb)₂, respectively, over a wide pH range of 3–11. The sensors have response times of ≤5 s and can be used for at least 2 months without any considerable divergence in their potential response. The proposed electrodes show good ability to discriminate iodide over several inorganic and organic anions. The electrodes were successfully applied to direct determination of iodide in synthetic mixture, waste water and drinking water and as indicator electrodes in precipitation titrations.     

Chemical enhancement method for the determination of mercury by spectrophotometry after iodide extraction

A selective and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of 0.08-2.5 ppb of mercury(II) is described. Mercury is extracted as tetraiodomercury(II)-Cd-phenanthroline ion-pair into benzene and selectively stripped into EDTA. The iodide associated with mercury present in the stripping is oxidized to iodate and then treated with excess iodide to give iodine. The iodine formed is extracted into benzene and equilibrated with iodate in acidic medium in the presence of chloride and Rhodamine 6G for the formation of ICI(-)(2) species and its extraction as ion-pair with Rhodamine 6G. Determination is completed by measuring the absorption of the extract at 535 nm. The coefficient of variation is 1.5% for 10 determinations of 200 ng of mercury. The method has been applied to establish the mercury content of natural waters and chloralkali plant effluent.     

The effect of ammonium thiocyanate and sodium chloride on loss and recovery of mercury from water during storage

The effect of inorganic complexing agents such as thiocyanate and chloride on the stability of distilled water and natural waters spiked with 1 μg Hg l^-1 in polyethylene containers is reported. Distilled water solutions can be stored for several months without significant losses of mercury if they contain HNO₃(0.05–0.1 M) + NH₄SCN(0.001–0.01 M) or HNO₃(0.1 M) + NaCl(higher than 0.01 M). For river and pond waters, addition of HNO₃(0.1 M) + NH₄SCN(0.01 M) not only has a pronounced effect on preventing mercury losses, but also gives quantitative recoveries from spiked sample solutions from which mercury has been “lost”. Thiocyanate ion-favors desorption of mercury from solid phases; chloride is less effective in this respect.     

Separation and Removal of Mercury(II) from Water Samples Using (Acetylacetone)‐2‐Thiol‐Phenyleneimine Immobilized on Anion‐Exchange Resin Prior to Determination by Cold Vapor Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

Abstract

(Acetylacetone)‐2‐thiol‐phenyleneimine (H₂L) immobilized on an anion‐exchange resin (Dowex) was used for separation and removal of mercury from natural water samples and for preconcentration prior to its determination by cold vapor inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The metal was eluted from the column using a solution of 10% thiourea in 0.1 M HCl. The modified resin is higly selective with an exchange capacity of 1.60 mmol g^?1. Various parameters like pH, column flow rate, and desorbing agents are optimized. The proposed method has a linear calibration range of 15–1000 ng/ml Hg(II), with a relative standard deviation at the 15 ng/ml level of 3.5%. The precision of the method (evaluated as the relative standard deviation obtained after analyzing six series of five replicates) was ±4.2% at the 50 ng/ml level of Hg(II). The method has been used for routine determination of trace levels of mercury species in natural waters. The potential application of modified resin for the removal of mercury(II) from two natural water samples (top water and lake water) spiked with 50 ng/ml of mercury (II) was studied by ICP‐AES, and the results proved that excellent percent extraction of mercury(II) from both natural water samples was obtained by column method using modified resin.     

Solvent extraction of zinc by 2-hexylpyridine in benzene from aqueous mineral acid — Thiocyanate media

Solvent extraction of Zn(II) by 2-hexylpyridine (HPy) in benzene has been studied from aqueous mineral acid—thiocyanate media. The extraction, though dependent on the acidity of the aqueous phase, is poor from mineral acids (HCl, HNO₃ or H₂SO₄). Addition of 0.02M KSCN to the aqueous phase enhances the distribution ratio by a factor of almost one thousand. The stoichiometry of the extracted complex established by the usual slope analysis method indicates that an ionic type complex, e.g. Zn(SCN)₄·(HPyH)₂, is responsible for extraction. Complexing anions like acetate, oxalate or citrate at 1 M concentration mask the extraction of Zn(II) almost completely. Separation factors determined at optimal conditions (0.1M HPy in benzene −0.05M H₂SO₄+0.2M SCN⁻) indicate that Zn(II), along with Hg(II), can be separated in a single extraction from a number of metals, e.g. Cs(I), Sr(II), Ln(III), Y(III), Cr(III) and (VI). Other metals of interest like Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Mo(VI), U(VI) and Tc(VII) are coextracted but the separation factors are large enough to allow separation in a multistage extraction process.     

TXRF determination of mercury(II) in water in combination with liquid–liquid microextraction

A highly selective hybrid way of TXRF determination of mercury(II) in drinking water at the level of n(10^–2–10⁰) μg/L is developed. The technique of preconcentration of mercury(II) ions includes directly suspended droplet microextraction with benzene in the form of an iodide molecular complex. The proposed method of determination is characterized by its high degree of sensitivity and reproducibility (c _min = 8 ng/L, s _r = 0.12 (100 ng/L)). The accuracy of the analysis results is confirmed by the introduced–found method.     

Study on the Solid Phase Extraction of Hg(II)‐ABR Chelate with C18 Disks and its Application to the Determination of Mercury in Tobacco and Tobacco Additives

A highly sensitive, selective and rapid method for the determination of mercury based on the rapid reaction of mercury(II) with 5‐(p‐aminobenzylidene)‐rhodanine (ABR) and the solid phase extraction of the colored chelate with C₁₈ disks has been developed. In the presence of pH = 3.5 sodium acetate‐acetic acid buffer solution and Emulsifier‐OP medium, ABR reacts with mercury(II) to form a red chelate of a molar ratio 1:2 (mercury to ABR). This chelate was enriched by the solid phase extraction with C₁₈ disks and eluted the retained chelate from the disks with dimethyl formamide (DMF). The enrichment factor of 50 was achieved. In the DMF medium, the molar absorptivity of the chelate is 1.16 × 10⁵ L.mol^?1.cm^?1 at 540 nm. Beer's law is obeyed in the range of 0.01?3 μg/mL in the measured solution. The relative standard deviation for eleven replicated samples of 0.01 μg/mL level is 1.83%. This method was applied to the determination of mercury in tobacco and tobacco additives with good results.     

Substoichiometric determination of mercury by neutron activation analysis

A method has been developed for the substoichiometric determination of mercury by thermal neutron activation analysis, based on the selective extraction of the Hg(II)—Bindschedler's Green complex into 1,2-dichloroethane. The method has been applied for the determination of trace amounts of mercury in geological standards such as W-1, GR, Sye-1, and T-1, meteorite Allende de Publito, and biological materials such as kale, IR1 standard tobacco, and human blood serum.     

Graphite rod atomization and atomic fluorescence for the simultaneous determination of silver and copper in jet engine oils

S-Methyldithizone(5-methylmercapto-1,5-diphenylformazan) reacts with the chlorides of copper(II), mercury(II) and phenylmercury(II) to give the 1:1 chelates [CuCl(MeDz), HgCl(MeDz) and C₆H₅Hg(MeDz)] and with nickel(II) and palladium(II) to give the 1:2 chelates, M(MeDz)₂. All these complexes are intensely coloured in chloroform solution. No complexes are formed from cobalt(II), manganese(II) or zinc(II) or from the nitrates or acetates of copper and mercury. Coordination increases the reactivity of the sulphur atom in dithizone. Whereas dithizone is unaffected by methyl iodide, nickel dithizonate, Ni(HDz)₂, gives Ni-(MeDz)₂ when heated with methyl iodide in ethanol in the presence of sodium acetate; palladium dithizonate behaves similarly. The 1:1 adduct of nickel dithizonate with 2,2'-bipyridyl gave only Ni(MeDz)₂ on treatment with methyl iodide, and this complex would not form an adduct with bipyridyl. On standing in the light, Ni(MeDz)₂ reacted photochemically to give the yellow isomer of S-methyl-dithizone.     

Substoichiometric determination of mercury with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

A radiometric method based on substoichiometric isotope dilution analysis has been developed for the determination of mercury using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the substoichiometric reagent. The method is based on the extraction of mercury as an ionassociation complex of tetraiodomercurate(II) ion with a substoichiometric amount of CTAB in benzene. The calibration graph was found to be linear in the range 0–10 μg Hg (II) in the aqueous phase of 10 ml volume. A detection limit of 0.06 μg·ml⁻¹ could be achieved by the proposed method. The relative standard deviation of the method was found to be 3.0% and the method has been successfully applied to study the determination of mercury in various synthetic mixtures.     

Facilitated transport of Hg(II) through novel activated composite membranes

The results presented in this work deal with the prime application of activated composite membranes (ACMs) for the transport of Hg(II) ions in a continuous extraction–re-extraction system using di-(2-ethylhexyl)dithiophosphoric acid (DTPA) as carrier. The effects of variables such as the pH, the nature of the acid and the concentration of the casting solutions on the transport of Hg(II) are also investigated. When the ACM was prepared with a 0.5 M DTPA solution and when the feed solution contained 2.5×10^–4 M Hg(II) in 0.1 M HCl, the amount of mercury extracted was greater than 76%. The re-extracted mercury was subsequently recovered by means of a stripping phase comprising 0.3 M thiourea solution in 2 M H₂SO₄, yielding 54% of the initial amount of mercury after transport had taken place for 180 min.     

Ultra-trace arsenic and mercury speciation and determination in blood samples by ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with flow injection-hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy

A simple, fast, and sensitive method for speciation and determination of As (III, V) and Hg (II, R) in human blood samples based on ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) and flow injection hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HG/CV-AAS) has been developed. Tetraethylthiuram disulfide, mixed ionic liquids (hydrophobic and hydrophilic ILs) and acetone were used in the DLLME step as the chelating agent, extraction and dispersive solvents, respectively. Using a microwave assisted-UV system, organic mercury (R-Hg) was converted to Hg(II) and total mercury amount was measured in blood samples by the presented method. Total arsenic content was determined by reducing As(V) to As(III) with potassium iodide and ascorbic acid in a hydrochloric acid solution. Finally, As(V) and R-Hg were determined by mathematically subtracting the As(III) and Hg(II) content from the total arsenic and mercury, respectively. Under optimum conditions, linear range and detection limit (3σ) of 0.1–5.0 µg L^?1 and 0.02 µg L^?1 for As(III) and 0.15–8.50 µg L^?1 and 0.03 µg L^?1 for Hg(II) were achieved, respectively, at low RSD values of < 4% (N = 10). The developed method was successfully applied to determine the ultra-trace amounts of arsenic and mercury species in blood samples; the validation of the method was performed using standard reference materials.     

Carbon dots-based fluorescent probes for sensitive and selective detection of iodide

We report on a simple method for the determination of iodide in aqueous solution by exploiting the fluorescence enhancement that is observed if the complex formed between carbon dots and mercury ion is exposed to iodide. Fluorescent carbon dots (C-dots) were treated with Hg(II) ion which causes quenching of the emission of the C-dots. On addition of iodide, the Hg(II) ions are removed from the complex due to the strong interaction between Hg(II) and iodide. This causes the fluorescence to be restored and enables iodide to be determined in the 0.5 to 20 μM concentration range and with a detection limit of ~430 nM. The test is highly selective for iodide (over common other anions) and was used for the determination of iodide in urine.