Sorption-spectrometric determination of lanthanum in the presence of uranium and thorium with the reagent Arsenazo M on the solid phase of fibrous filled sorbents

The possibility of the determination of La(III) in the presence of U(VI) and Th(IV), a solid phase with the reagent Arsenazo M, was examined. It was demonstrated that the determination of lanthanum with Arsenazo M in 0.05 M HCl in the presence of 3-, 2-, 1-, and 10-fold amounts of U(VI), Th(IV), Zr(IV), and Ti(IV) is possible after sorption on polyacrylonitrile fiber filled an ion exchanger with iminodiacetate groups (PANV-ANKB-50). For sorption under the optimum conditions at pH 5, the detection limit of lanthanum is 0.01 μg/mL. The method for the determination of lanthanum was verified by the added-found method in the analysis of tap water. To decrease the matrix effect, it is recommended to perform sorption in the analysis of water at pH 2.5. In this case, the detection limit of La(III) is 0.02 μg/mL, RSD < 20%. The time of the analysis of 5 or 6 samples is no longer than 20 min.     

Sorption and complexation of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) with reagents Arsenazo III and Arsenazo M on fibrous filled sorbents

The possibility of the highly sensitive sorption-spectrometric determination of Th(IV) and U(VI) in the presence of each other on the solid phase of fibrous anion-exchange materials with Arsenazo M and Arsenazo III was examined. Polyacrylonitrile fiber filled with an exchanger AN-31, ANKB-50, or EDE-10p was used as the solid phase. It was demonstrated that the studied systems allow the selective determination of thorium in the presence of one-to twofold amounts of uranium. On PANV-EDE-10p with immobilized Arsenazo III, the detection limit of thorium in 2–10 M HCl is 0.002 μg/mL, and in 10 M HCl the presence of up to twofold amounts of uranium is permissible. A high sensitivity of the determination of uranium in 2–7 M HCl of 0.005 μg/mL, which has not been reported before, was attained. The time of the analysis of five or six samples is no longer than 20 min.     

Simultaneous determination of uranium(IV) and thorium(IV) ions with Arsenazo III by partial least squares method

A multivariate calibration method, Partial Least Squares Type 1 (PLS-1), is proposed for simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of uranium and thorium ions as their complexes with arsenazo III in hydrochloric acid medium. Several data characteristics are taking into account in order to minimize the optimum number of factors required for the construction of calibration model, while using various statistical criterions of selection. Finally, the evaluated calibration model is satisfactorily applied to determination of these ions in samples that resemble sulfuric acid leach solution obtained from a uranium ore.     

Effect of arsenate and phosphate ions on the adsorption and complexation of uranium(VI) with Arsenazo III on the solid phase of the ion exchanger PAN-EDE-10p fibrous anion exchanger

The effect of arsenate and phosphate ions on the adsorption and color reaction of uranium(VI) with Arsenazo III on the solid phase of a fibrous material filled with the EDE-10p anion exchanger was studied in different adsorption processes. We selected the optimum conditions for the system of U(VI)-AsO ₄ ^3? (H₂PO ₄ ^? )-PANV-EDE-10p-Arsenazo III and used this system for the adsorption-spectrophotometric determination of (0.03–0.3) 10^?3 M arsenate, (0.004–0.06) 10^?3 M phosphate, and 0.01–0.1 μg/mL uranyl ions.     

Effect of complexants on the adsorption and color reactions of lanthanum(III), uranium(VI), thorium(IV), and zirconium(IV) with Arsenazo M in the solid phase of an ANKB-50 fibrous ion-exchanger

The effect of complexants—acetic, aminoacetic, tartaric, malonic, and oxalic acids; EDTA; and Na₂CO₃—on the adsorption and subsequent determination of thorium(IV), lanthanum(III), uranium(VI), and zirconium(IV) with Arsenazo M in the solid phase of polyacrylonitrile fiber filled with an ANKB-50 anion exchanger was studied. Complexing agents were introduced into the solution at the step of metal ion adsorption. It was shown that zirconium and uranium interacted with the iminodiacetate groups of the adsorbent in the course of adsorption; the adsorption of elements from 10^?3 to 10^?2 M complexant solutions (except for tartaric and oxalic acids and EDTA) under the optimum conditions was enhanced as compared to their adsorption from pure solutions; complexation with Arsenazo M in the solid phase proceeded at a higher acidity than in the solution. When the elements were present simultaneously, their total concentration and individual thorium could be determined from malonic acid solutions with Arsenazo M by varying the concentration of acid and the adsorption pH.     

Simultaneous determination of uranium and thorium with Arsenazo III by second-derivative spectrophotometry

A derivative spectrophotometric method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of microgram quantities of uranium and thorium with Arsenazo III in hydrochloric acid medium. The second-derivative absorbances of the uranium and thorium Arsenazo III complexes at 679.5 and 684.4 nm are used for their quantification. Uranium and thorium, both in the range 0.1-0.7 mug/ml have been determined simultaneously with good precision. The procedure does not require separation of uranium and thorium, and allows the determination of both metals in the presence of alkaline-earth metals and zirconium, but lanthanides interfere.     

Sorption-spectroscopy and test determination of uranium(VI) and iron(III) from a single sample on the solid phase of fiber materials filled with an AB-17 ion exchanger

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy has been used for the study of the sorption of malonate and glycolate complexes of uranium(VI) and iron(III), present simultaneously in solution, onto the solid phase of fiber materials filled with an AB-17 anion exchanger. In the form of malonate complexes uranium(VI) is determined in 0.5 M HCl on substrate discs with immobilized Arsenazo III, while iron(III) is determined on substrate discs with potassium thiocyanate in 0.5 M HCl. The dependence of the analytical signals on the concentrations of U(VI) and Fe(III) is linear in the ranges 0.02–0.16 μg/mL; the detection limit is 0.01 μg/mL. The possibility of analysis of U(VI) and Fe(III) mixtures in ratio from 1: 5 to 5: 1 in the presence of 2-fold concentrations of Zr(IV), Th(IV), and Ti(IV), 5-fold concentrations of Bi(III), 10-fold concentrations of Cu(II), 20-fold concentrations of La(III), 100-fold concentrations of Ni(II) and Zn(II), and 200-fold concentrations of Co(II) and Ca(II) has been demonstrated. Standard color scales in the concentration range from 0.02 to 0.2 μg/mL have been used for the visual determination of uranium(VI) and iron(III).     

Sorption-spectroscopy determination of zirconium on a PANV-KU-2 fibrous ion exchanger using Arsenazo III

The sorption and complexation of zirconium with Arsenazo III have been studied on a polyacry-lonitrile fibrous material filled with strongly acidic KU-2 cation exchanger in strongly acidic media. The optimal conditions have been chosen for the sorption-spectrophotometric and test determination of zirconium by diffuse reflection spectroscopy or visual testing. The limit of zirconium detection is 0.02 ??g/mL. The procedure was tested in the analysis of model solutions of ammonium molybdate and vanadate and copper chloride using the standard addition method.     

A reinvestigation of the “determination” of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) with dithizone

It has not been possible to repeat any of the observations in a paper describing the determination of traces of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) via coloured 1:2 complexes with dithizone.     

Simultaneous determination of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) with carminic acid by derivative spectrophotometry

The reactions of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions with carminic acid have been investigated. These ions react with carminic acid in neutral medium, forming colored complexes. The dark purple or red wine complexes show a high absorption in the visible region (597 nm U(VI) and 616 nm Th(IV)). Chemical variables that affect the reaction have been optimized. The spectral overlapping of the color of complexes has been resolved by first-derivative spectrophotometry. The simultaneous determination of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) mixtures is accomplished by taking the derivative signal (zero crossing) at 597 nm for U(VI) determination and at 616 nm for Th(IV) determination, respectively. The method has been applied to Tyuyamonite ore, containing in the matrix both ions.     

Pyridine based thorium(IV) phosphate hybrid fibrous ion exchanger

Pyridine based thorium(IV) phosphate (PyThP) has been synthesized by drop-wise addition of the thorium(IV) nitrate with constant stirring into a mixture of pyridine and phosphoric acid. This material has been characterized using X-ray, IR spectra, TG, DTG and SEM studies in addition to its ion exchange capacity, elution and pH titrations. The material has been found amorphous and fibrous in nature on the basis of X-ray diffraction and SEM studies. TG has revealed the changes incurred in the material on thermal treatment and IR spectral studies have shown the presence of various groups in its structure.     

Simultaneous determination of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions with carminic acid by bivariate calibration

A bivariate calibration method, has been applied to the simultaneous determination of U(VI) and Th(IV) ions as complexes with carminic acid by visible absorption spectrophotometry. The bivariate calibration method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of these ions in synthetic solutions simulating sulfuric acid leach solution obtained from uranium-thorium ores and the results were compared with those given by first derivative spectrophotometry. No significant advantages of any method were found.     

Extraction studies of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) with tributylphosphine oxide

Clay minerals occur widely in nature and play a very important role in agriculture, mineral recovery and chemical manufacturing. Among the many properties which affect clay behaviour, water binding and ion exchanging appear to be the most important. The study of the cation exchange capacity of soils is of great theoretical and practical importance since the CEC determines in many ways the behavior of nutrients, chemical amendments, and many toxic compounds entering the sols. Sorption interactions with montmorillonite and other clay minerals in soils are potantially important mechanisms for attenuating the mobility of heavy metal cations through the subsurface environment. In this work the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of montmorillonite from west Anatolia, and sorptions with montmorillonite for attenuating the mobility of uranium were studied. The CEC value was found to be 77 meq/100 g montmorillonite. The relative importance of test parameters e.g., contact time, particle size, pH and U(+6) aqueous speciation was determined. The results show that sorption on montmorillonite is a funtion of pH depending strongly on the aqueous U(+6) species. It reaches a maximum at near neutral pH(pH}7). At low and at high pH solutions the sorption values of uranium are poor. These sorption values were attributed to the formation of aqueous U(+6) carbonate complexes in alkaline conditions and the ionexchange process between UO₂ ⁺² species and interlayer cations on montmorillonite in acidic solutions.     

Extraction study of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) salicylates with triphenylarsine oxide

Triphenylarsine oxide is proposed as an extractant for the solvent extraction of uranium and thorium salicylates. The optimum extraction conditions are established by studying the various parameters such as pH, sodium salicylate concentration, triphenylarsine oxide concentration, diluents and shaking time. The probable extracted species as ascertained by logD-logC plots are UO₂(Hsal)₂·2TPAsO and Th(Hsal)₄·2TPAsO. The method is simple, fast, precise and permits the determination of uranium and thorium in monazite sand samples.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) with three ether-amide type tripodands

N,N,N',N',N',N'-Hexaethyl-2,2′,2'-(nitrilotrisethyleneoxy-2-benzyloxy)tris(acetamide) (L3) has been prepared and characterized by using IR, ¹H NMR and positive-ion FAB mass spectra. The extraction of Th⁴⁺ and UO₂ ²⁺ with N,N,N',N',N',N'-hexaethyl-2,2',2'- (nitrilo-trisethyleneoxy)tris(acetamide) (L1), N,N,N',N',N',N'-hexaisopropyl-2,2',2'-(nitrilotrisethyleneoxy)tris(acetamide) (L2), and L3 was studied at 20±1 °C as a function of diluent, concentration of free extractant in organic phase and concentration of picrate in aqueous phase. It was found that the extracting powers of L1 and L2 for Th⁴⁺ are almost identical. The extracting power of L2 for UO22+ was slightly higher than that of L1. The difference in terminal groups (ethyl or isopropyl) of the extractants (L1 and L2) with same backbone has a little effect on the extracting power for both Th4+ and UO22+. The extracting powers of L3 for both Th4+ and UO22+ were larger than those of L1 and L2. The extractants (L1 and L3) having the same terminal group (ethyl) with different backbones have obviously different extracting powers for Th4+ or UO22+. The extracting powers of all three extractants L1, L2, and L3 for Th4+ were larger than those for UO22+. The compositions of extracted species in organic phase were predominantly ThL(Pic)3NO3 and UO2L(Pic)NO3, respectively (L denotes L1, L2 and L3). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetic studies on the solvent extraction of uranium (IV), thorium (IV) and uranium (VI) from nitric acid solutions with tributyl phosphate

The kinetics of solvent extraction of U (IV), Th (IV) and U (VI) from nitric acid solution with tributyl phosphate (TBP) in kerosene and cyclohexane have been studied using the single drop technique. The effects of concentrations of U (IV), Th (IV), U (VI), nitric acid, nitrate, TBP and temperature on the extraction rates of U (IV), Th (IV) and U (VI) have been examined. The mechanisms for the three extraction processes are discussed.     

Simultaneous preconcentration of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) from aqueous solutions using a chelating calix[4]arene anchored chloromethylated polystyrene solid phase

A new chelating polymeric sorbent is developed using Merrifield chloromethylated resin anchored with calix[4]arene-o-vanillinsemicarbazone for simultaneous separation and solid phase extractive preconcentration of U(VI) and Th(IV). The “upper-rim” functionalized calix[4]arene-o-vanillinsemicarbazone was covalently linked to Merrifield resin and characterized by FT-IR and elemental analysis. The synthesized chelating polymeric sorbent shows superior binding affinity towards U(VI) and Th(IV) under selective pH conditions. Various physico-chemical parameters that influence the quantitative extraction of metal ions were optimized. The optimum pH range and flow rates for U(VI) and Th(IV) were 6.0-7.0 and 1.0-4.0 ml min⁻¹ and 3.5-4.5 and 1.5-4.0 ml min⁻¹, respectively. The total sorption capacity found for U(VI) and Th(IV) was 48734 and 41175 μg g⁻¹, respectively. Interference studies carried out in the presence of diverse ions and electrolyte species showed quantitative analyte recovery (98-98.5%) with lower limits of detection, 6.14 and 4.29 μg l⁻¹ and high preconcentration factors, 143 and 153 for U(VI) and Th(IV), respectively. The uptake and stripping of these metal ions on the resin were fast, indicating a better accessibility of the metal ions towards the chelating sites. The analytical applicability of the synthesized polymeric sorbent was tested with some synthetic mixtures for the separation of U(VI) and Th(IV) from each other and also from La(III), Cu(II) and Pb(II) by varying the pH and sequential acidic elution. The validity of the proposed method was checked by analyzing these metal ions in natural water samples, monazite sand and standard geological materials.     

Arsenazo III as a spectrophotometric reagent for determination of lead

Arsenazo III is proposed as a spectrophotometric reagent for the determination of lead. The complex formation begins at pH > 2 and is greatest at pH 4-6. The molar absorptivity of the complex has a mean value of 2.8 x 10(4) 1.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 600 nm and remains nearly constant in the pH range 4-8. The ionic species taking part in the reaction are studied and the equilibrium constants for the different possible reactions are calculated. According to the values obtained, the reaction of PbOH(+) with H(5)L(3-) is predominant. The reaction studied is applied for the determination of micro amounts of lead in technical aluminium.     

Sorption of uranium(VI) compounds on fibrous anion exchanger surface from aqueous solutions

The effect of sorbent consumption and the kinetics and mechanism of sorption of uranium(VI) compounds on the surface of FIBAN A-6 fibrous anion exchanger from aqueous uranyl acetate solutions have been studied in the presence of sulfuric acid or sodium hydrocarbonate. The degree of sorption of uranium(VI) compounds by FIBAN A-6 anion exchanger has been found to be as high 97.0–99.5% at an interfacial contact time of 3–7 min and a sorbent consumption of 2–5 g/dm³. Diffusion and chemical kinetics models have been employed to show that the sorption kinetics of uranyl sulfate and carbonate complexes corresponds to the mixed diffusion mechanism and is described by a pseudo-second-order equation. The sorption isotherms of uranium(VI) compounds have the pattern of L-type isotherms according to the Giles classification and are satisfactorily described by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich equations. It has been found that, within 40 min, the sorbent may be regenerated by 65–82% with a 1 M NaHCO₃ solution.