Selective preconcentration of thallium species as chloro and iodo complexes on Chromosorb 105 resin prior to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A selective preconcentration method was described for the determination of inorganic thallium species by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Thallium(III) and thallium(I) as chloro and iodo complexes were selectively retained by a column containing 0.5 g of Chromosorb 105 resin and quantitatively eluted by 10 mL of pure acetone. The calibration graph was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 at levels near the detection limit and up to at least 0.8 μg L⁻¹. The detection limits for the determination of total thallium and thallium(III) employing the proposed method by ETAAS were estimated as three values of the standard deviations, 0.050 μg L⁻¹ and 0.034 μg L⁻¹, respectively. Verification of the accuracy was carried out by the analysis of standard reference materials (GBW 07402 soil, NIST 2710 Montana soil, GBW 07309 and GBW 07310 stream sediments). The relative errors were found to be in the range of −7.7% to +4.8%. The relative standard deviations were generally found to be below 10%. The effect of potential interfering ions on the determination was studied. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of total thallium in five different brand cements, soils around two cement plants and metallic zinc samples. The speciation of thallium(I) and thallium(III) was applied to synthetic solutions.     

Square-wave voltammetric stripping analysis of thallium(III) at a poly(4-vinylpyridine)/mercury film electrode

A poly(4-vinylpyridine)/mercury film electrode (PVP/MFE) was used for the determination of trace thallium(III) by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Thallium(III) is preconcentrated onto the PVP/MFE as the anionic forms in chloride medium by the ion-exchange effect of the PVP. The high solubility of thallium in mercury further facilitates the accumulation effect. Various factors influencing the determination of thallium(III) were thoroughly investigated. This modified electrode displayed good resistance to interferences from surface-active compounds and common ions and increased sensitivity when used in conjunction with SWASV. In addition, detection can be achieved without deoxygenation and the electrode can be easily renewed. Applicability to various water samples is illustrated.     

Determination trace amounts of thallium after separation and preconcentration onto nanoclay loaded with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol as a new sorbent

A procedure has been proposed for the separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of thallium. It is based on the adsorption of thallium ions onto organo nanoclay loaded with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN). Thallium ions were quantitatively retained on the column in the pH range of 3.5–6.0, whereas quantitative desorption occurs with 5.0?mL of 5% ascorbic acid and thallium was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Linearity was maintained between 0.66?ng?mL^?1–15.0?µg?mL^?1?in initial solution. Detection limit was 0.2?ng?mL^?1?in initial solution and preconcentration factor was 150. Eight replicate determinations of 2.0?µg?mL^?1 of thallium in final solution gave a relative standard deviation of ±1.48%. Various parameters have been studied, such as the effect of pH, breakthrough volume and interference of a large number of anions and cations and the proposed method was used to determine thallium ions in water and standard samples. Determination of thallium ions in standard sample showed that the proposed method has good accuracy.     

Quantitative separation of traces of lead,cadmium and many other elements from gram amounts of thallium by cation-exchange chromatography

Traces of lead and minor amounts up to 20 mg, can be separated from gram amounts of thallium by cation-exchange chromatography on a column containing only 2 g of AG50W-X4 resin. Thallium passes through the column in 0.1 M HCl in 40% acetone. The retained lead can be eluted with 3 M HCl or HNO₃. Other elements, including Cd, Zn, In, Ga, Cu(II), Fe(III). Mn(II), Co(II). Ni(II), U(VI) and Al, are retained quantitatively with lead. Only Hg(II), Au(III), the platinum metals, bismuth and elements forming oxyanions accompanying thallium. Results for the determination of trace elements in 99.999% pure thallium are presented.     

Determination of thallium in lead salts by differential pulse anodic-stripping voltammetry

The determination of trace levels of thallium in lead and lead salts by differential pulse anodic-stripping voltammetry has been made possible by using a surfactant as an electrochemical masking agent in addition to a complexing agent. In 0.2M EDTA at pH 4.5 as supporting electrolyte without surfactant, lead at concentrations below 0.5mM does not give a peak. When the electrolyte also contains tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) at 0.01 M concentration, lead can be tolerated at concentrations up to 0.05M, while the height of the thallium peak is unaffected. It is thus possible to determine 5nM T1(I) in the presence of 0.05M Pb(II), i.e., Tl at the 1 x 10(-5)% level in lead. The precision of the determination (1-4%) and the recovery are satisfactory. Neither an 800-fold excess ratio of Cu(II) to Tl(I) nor a 10(7)-fold ratio of Bi(III) interferes in the determination. Thallium has been determined in a range of lead salts of various degrees of purity.     

Selective extraction of thallium(III) in the presence of gallium(III), indium(III), bismuth(III) and antimony(III) by salting-out of an aqueous mixture of 2-propanol

Thallium(III), in the presence of other triply charged ions such as gallium, indium, bismuth and antimony in aqueous solution, was quantitatively and selectively extracted into 2-propanol/water phase by addition of NaCl ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 mol dm⁻³. The extraction efficiencies of gallium, indium, bismuth and antimony were much lower than that of thallium(III). Thus a maximal selective separation of thallium(III) from these elements could be attained using a 2-propanol/water mixture. Thallium(III) was extracted as TlCl₄⁻ with Na⁺. The detailed extraction mechanism in the presence of chloride, water in the organic phase and counter ions is discussed.     

Determination of thallium in natural waters by anodic stripping voltammetry

Thallium was determined in natural waters by anodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode, in acetate buffer pH 4.6+EDTA, after preconcentration and separation on an anion exhange resin. For Pacific Ocean surface waters a mean value of 13.0±1.4 ng Tl l^?1 was found, while for freshwater samples the value was 3.7±1.0 ng Tl l^?1. Thermodynamic considerations of thallium speciation predict that both in seawater and freshwater thallium exists primarily in the trivalent state. This was confirmed by experiment.     

Determination of tin by resin-suspension electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after enrichment as the complex with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate.

A resin-phase extraction method has been optimized for the trace determination of tin(II) by ETAAS. Tin(II) was extracted on a finely divided anion exchange resin as the complex with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC). The resin was collected on a membrane filter and then dispersed in 1.00 ml of 1 mol l(-1) nitric acid containing 100 microg of Pd(II) and 60 microg of Ni(II). The resulting resin suspension was subjected to GFAAS. The proposed method was applied to the determination of tin(II) in hydrochloric acid.     

The determination of thallium in rocks and biological materials at ng g−1 levels by differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Thallium is volatilized from biological materials and rocks after admixture with silicic acid and cellulose/magnesium chloride, respectively, by combustion in oxygen in a quartz apparatus, and from rocks after admixture with magnesium chloride by fusion at 1250°C in a quartz tube drawn to a capillary at one end and sealed at the other end. The condensed thallium is dissolved in a small volume of acid which is used directly to determine thallium procedure was found to be 1 ng g^?1 (deposition time 10 min). The results are in satisfactory agreement with those obtained by electrothermal atomic absortion spectrometry after extraction.     

ICP-OES determination of traces of Ru, Au, V and Ti preconcentrated and separated by a new poly(epoxy-melamine) chelating resin from solutions

A new poly(epoxy-melamine) chelating resin is synthesized from epoxy resin and used for the preconcentration and separation of traces of Ru(III), Au(III), V(V) and Ti(IV) ions from sample solutions. The ions analyzed can be quantitatively enriched by the resin at a flow-rate of 2 mL/min at pH 4, and quantitatively desorbed with 10 mL of 1 mol/L HCl + 0.2 g CS(NH₂)₂ at a flow-rate of 1 mL/min with recoveries of over 97%. The chelating resin can be reused 7 times without obvious loss of efficiency. Thousand-fold excesses of coexistent ions caused little interference during the enrichment and determination steps. The RSDs for the determination of 50 ng/mL Ru(III) and Au(III), 5.0 ng/mL V(V) and Ti(IV) were in the range of 1.5–4.5%. The recoveries of added standards in a real sample solution are between 96% and 100%, and the results for the ions analyzed in a nickel alloy sample are in good agreement with their reported values.     

Routine,high-sensitivity,cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric determination of total mercury in foods after low-temperature digestion

A cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric method was developed for the subnanogram-per-gram determination of total Hg in a wide variety of foods. Foods were weighed into 50 mL polypropylene centrifuge tubes and dried without charring at 55 degrees C in a circulating oven. Samples were then digested at 58 degrees C with HNO3, HCl, and H2O2. After matrix modification with solutions of 2% Mg(NO3)2, 0.01% Triton X-100, and Cu(II) at 10 microg/mL, samples were analyzed by using a CeTAC Technologies M-6000A dedicated Hg analyzer. Based on a 2 g sample weight, the detection limit of the method over 12 batches averaged 0.30 ng/g wet weight and ranged from 0.03 to 0.6 ng/g. Recoveries of Hg added to 17 different foods, analyzed in a routine manner, averaged 97%, and individual recoveries ranged from 77 to 107%. Accuracy was confirmed by analysis of 7 biological reference materials from the National Research Council of Canada and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Stabilization of low concentrations of Hg in solutions containing no sample was required to prevent loss of Hg from blanks. In a comparison of NaCl, potassium dichromate, and Au(II), chloride was much more effective for stabilization than the other two, and HCl was used for subsequent stabilization.     

Square-wave anodic stripping voltammetric determination of thallium(I) at a Nafion/mercury film modified electrode

A Nafion/mercury film electrode (NMFE) was used for the determination of trace thallium(I) in aqueous solutions. Thallium(I) was preconcentrated onto the NMFE from the sample solution containing 0.01 M ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), and determined by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Various factors influencing the determination of thallium(I) were thoroughly investigated. This modified electrode exhibits good resistance to interferences from surface-active compounds. The presence of EDTA effectively eliminated the interferences from metal ions, such as lead(II) and cadmium(II), which are generally considered as the major interferents in the determination of thallium at a mercury electrode. With 2-min preconcentration, linear calibration graphs were obtained over the range 0.05-100 ppb of thallium(I). An even lower detection limit, 0.01 ppb, were achieved with 5-min accumulation. The electrode is easy to prepare and can be readily renewed after each stripping experiment. Applicability of this procedure to various water samples is illustrated.     

The spectrophotometric determination of thallium(iii)by ternary complex formation

If thallium(III) is added to an aqueous solution of potassium thiocyanate containing a large amount of pyridine in the pH range 5.2–5.5, a yellow solution which is stable in diffuse light is obtained. The yellow colour can be measured at 405 nm for the colorimetric determination of thallium(III) in the range 20–300 μg Tl ml^-1. The complex is a mixed ligand complex with a metal-ligand ratio of 1:2:2. Thallium(I) does not interfere. The interference of various other metal ions and anions is discussed.     

Conformational studies of dicyclohexylthallium chloride,bis(4-methylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride and bis(4-tert-butylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride by 1H NMR

Vicinal thallium–hydrogen coupling constants are used to discuss conformations in dicyclohexylthallium chloride, bis(4-methylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride and bis(4-tert-butylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride. Thallium does not have a very strong preference for equatorial positions in dicyclohexylthallium chloride, whereas bis(4-alkylcyclohexyl)thallium chlorides exist largely in one conformation. Bis(4-methylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride exists in three isomeric forms; the major product appears to be the cis-isomer (equatorial methyl, axial thallium), with the other two isomers probably containing thallium trans to the methyl group (axial thallium being preferred). The preference for the cis-isomer (equatorial tert-butyl, axial thallium) of bis(4-tert-butylcyclohexyl)thallium chloride is such that other isomers are not obtained.     

Determination of indium and thallium by hydride generation and atomic-absorption spectrometry

Hydride generation coupled with atomic-absorption spectrometry was applied to the determination of indium and thallium. The hydrides were generated in 1M HCl (In) and 1-1.5M HCl or HNO(3) (Tl) with 1% NaBH(4) solution, and were flushed with argon into an electrically heated silica tube. The characteristic mass for indium and thallium were 0.13 and 0.12 mug, respectively.     

Determination of traces of thallium by fluorimetric titration

Summary Thallium(I) shows strong fluorescence in a solution which is 3.3 M in HCl and 0.8 M in KCl. The excitation wavelength is 253 nm and the wavelength selected for the fluorescence 438 nm. Due to the strong absorption at 253 nm by thallium(III) a reductometric rather than an oxidimetric titration will lead to a correct fluorimetric end-point indication. The precision and the selectivity of the titrimetric method are better than those of the corresponding methods based on the use of calibration curves. Traces of thallium down to 1 g can be determined with good precision. The method can be used for the determination of thallium in urine at the ppm level.

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Bestimmung von Spuren Thallium durch fluorimetrische Titration

Zusammenfassung Thallium(I) zeigt starke Fluorescenz in einer Lösung, die 3,3 M an HCl und 0,8 M an KCl ist. Diese Erscheinung wurde zur Endpunktsanzeige der Redoxtitration Tl(III)-Tl(I) verwendet (Excitationswellenlänge 253 nm, Fluorescenzwellenlänge 438 nm). Wegen der starken Lichtabsorption von Thallium(III) bei 253 nm kann nur ein reduktometrisch durchgeführtes Titrationsverfahren benutzt werden. Genauigkeit und Selektivität sind beim titrimetrischen Verfahren besser als beim Eichlinienverfahren. Spuren Thallium (bis einige Mikrogramm) können mit guter Genauigkeit bestimmt werden. Die Anwendung der Methode für die Bestimmung von Thallium in Urin im ppm-Bereich wird beschrieben.

     

Separation of trace elements from high-purity metals by simulaneous electrolytic dissolution and electrodeposition of the matrix on a mercury cathode: Part 1. Determination of aluminum in iron by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

High-purity iron is effectively dissolved by anodic oxidation and the resulting matrix ions are immediately deposited on a flowing mercury cathode from 2 ml of sodium acetate/potassium chloride electrolyte. Aluminium (5 ng) in this electrolyte was determined by direct injection into a graphite furnace for atomic absorption spectrometry. The high-purity iron was found to contain 0.34 (±0.03) μg g^?1 aluminum.     

Determination of thallium(III) by use of a mercury reductor

A convenient method has been developed for the determination of thallium(III) by using a mercury reductor. Thallium(III) is reduced to thallium(I) in 0.5–4N hydrochloric or sulphuric acid medium and the determination is completed by oxidative titration with potassium bromate. The method is extended to analysis of thallium(III)-thallium(I) and thallium(III)-iron(III) mixtures.     

ICP-OES determination of traces of Ru, Au, V and Ti preconcentrated and separated by a new poly(epoxy-melamine) chelating resin from solutions

A new poly(epoxy-melamine) chelating resin is synthesized from epoxy resin and used for the preconcentration and separation of traces of Ru(III), Au(III), V(V) and Ti(IV) ions from sample solutions. The ions analyzed can be quantitatively enriched by the resin at a flow-rate of 2 mL/min at pH 4, and quantitatively desorbed with 10 mL of 1 mol/L HCl + 0.2 g CS(NH₂)₂ at a flow-rate of 1 mL/min with recoveries of over 97%. The chelating resin can be reused 7 times without obvious loss of efficiency. Thousand-fold excesses of coexistent ions caused little interference during the enrichment and determination steps. The RSDs for the determination of 50 ng/mL Ru(III) and Au(III), 5.0 ng/mL V(V) and Ti(IV) were in the range of 1.5–4.5%. The recoveries of added standards in a real sample solution are between 96% and 100%, and the results for the ions analyzed in a nickel alloy sample are in good agreement with their reported values. Received: 12 May 1997 / Revised: 1 September 1997 / Accepted: 9 October 1997     

Simultaneous determination of low concentrations of ammonium and potassium ions by capillary type isotachophoresis

Low concentrations of ammonium and potassium ions (<2.0 mg/l.) were determined simultaneously by capillary type isotachophoresis based on the interaction between potassium and 18-crown-6 in the aqueous leading electrolyte. The PU value of potassium ion increased with increasing concentration of 18-crown-6 up to 3mM, whereas that of the ammonium ion remained almost constant. Thus complete separation of ammonium and potassium ions could be obtained by using 1-3mM 18-crown-6. The error in the analysis of mixtures containing ammonium and potassium ions (250-mul sample injection) was less than +/- 20% with a leading electrolyte containing 3mM 18-crown-6. The analysis time was 18 min.