Application of ion-exchange separations to determination of trace elements in natural waters-IX: simultaneous isolation and determination of uranium and thorium

A method is described for the determination of uranium and thorium in samples of natural waters. After acidification with citric acid the water sample is filtered and sodium citrate and ascorbic acid are added. The resulting solution of pH 3 is passed through a 4-g column of Dowex 1 x 8 (citrate form) on which both uranium and thorium are adsorbed as anionic citrate complexes. Thorium is eluted with 8M hydrochloric acid and separated from co-eluted substances by anion-exchange in 8M nitric acid medium on a separate 2-g column of the same resin in the nitrate form. After complete removal of iron by washing with a mixture consisting of IBMK, acetone and 1M hydrochloric acid (1:8:1 v v ) and treatment of the resin with 6M hydrochloric acid, the uranium is eluted from the 4-g column with 1M hydrochloric acid. In the eluate thorium is determined spectrophotometrically (arsenazo III method) while fluorimetry is employed for the assay of uranium. The procedure was used for the determination of uranium and thorium in numerous water samples collected in Austria, including samples of mineral-waters. The results indicate that a simple relationship exists between the uranium and thorium contents of waters which makes it possible to calculate the approximate thorium content of a sample on the basis of its uranium concentration and vice versa.     

Chemical analysis of manganese nodules : Part II. Determination of uranium and thorium after anion-exchange separation

A method is described for the determination of uranium and thorium in manganese nodules. After dissolution of the sample in a mixture of perchloric and hydrofluoric acids, uranium is adsorbed on the strongly basic anion-exchange resin Dowex 1 (chloride form) from 6 M hydrochloric acid. The effluent is evaporated and the residue is taken up in 7 M nitric acid—0.25 M oxalic acid; thorium is then isolated quantitatively by anion-exchange on Dowex 1 (nitrate form). Thorium is eluted with 6 M hydrochloric acid and determined spectrophotometrically by the arsenazo III method. Uranium is eluted from the resin in the chloride form with 1 M hydrochloric acid and then separated from iron, molybdenum and other co-eluted elements on a column of Dowex 1 (chloride form); the medium consists of 50% (v/v) tetrahydrofuran, 40% (v/v) methyl glycol and 10% (vv) 6 M hydrochloric acid. After removal of iron and molybdenum by washing the resin with a mixture of the same composition and with pure aqueous 1 M hydrochloric acid, the adsorbed uranium is eluted with 1 M hydrochloric acid and determined by fluorimetry. The method was used successfully for the determination of ppm-quantities of uranium and thorium in 60 samples of manganese nodules from the Pacific Ocean.     

Column chromatographic separation of thorium(IV) from ascorbic acid medium using poly-(dibenzo-18-crown-6)

A simple separation method has been developed for thorium(IV) using poly-(dibenzo-18-crown-6) and column chromatography. The separation was carried out from ascorbic acid medium. The adsorption of thorium(IV) was quantitative from 0.001-0.01M ascorbic acid. The elution of thorium(IV) was quantitative with 4.0-8.0M HCl, 3.0-6.0M HClO₄, 4.0-8.0M H₂SO₄ and 1.0-8.0M HBr. The capacity of poly-(dibenzo-18-crown-6) for thorium(IV) was found to be 1.379±0.01 m^.mol/g of crown polymer. Thorium(IV) was separated from a number of cations in binary as well as in multicomponent mixtures. The method was extended to the determination of thorium in monazite sand. It is possible to separate and determine 5 ppm of thorium(IV) by this method. The method is very simple, rapid, selective and has good reproducibility (approximately ±2%).     

Spectrophotometric determination of zirconium, uranium, thorium and rare earths with arsenazo III after extractions with thenoyltrifluoroacetone and tri-n-octylamine

A method is described for the spectrophotometric determination of microgram amounts of zirconium, uranium(VI), thorium and rare earths with Arsenazo III after systematic separation by extraction. First zirconium is extracted into a xylene solution of thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) from about 4M hydrochloric acid. Uranium(VI) is then extracted into a xylene solution of tri-n-octy lamine from about 4M hydrochloric acid. Thorium is next extracted into TTA solution at pH about 1.5, and finally rare earths are extracted into TTA solution at pH about 4.7. Each metal is back-extracted from the organic phase before determination.     

Solvent extraction separation of thorium as picrate complex with 18-crown-6

Thorium was quantitatively extracted from 0.04M picric acid with 0.065M of 18-crown-6 at pH 2.0–3.5. It was stripped from organic phase with 0.5M nitric acid and was determined spectrophotometrically at 655 nm as its Arsenazo-III complex. Thorium was separated from mixture containing cerium, uranium, zirconium, hafnium, yttrium and lead in complex mixtures. The method was extended for the analysis of thorium in monazite.     

Extraction chromatographic separation of thorium (IV) with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO)

Thorium was extracted from a mixture of nitric acid and NaNO₃ of 0.01M each at pH 2.2 on a column of silica gel coated with TOPO. Thorium was separated from alkalis, alkaline earths, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, cadmium, mercury, lead, trivalent rare earths, platinum group metals, chloride, phosphate and acetate in binary mixtures by selective extraction of thorium. Thorium was separated from cerium (IV), zirconium, uranium and molybdenum by selective elution of thorium with 0.01M H₂SO₄. The method was extended for the analysis of thorium in monozite ore.     

Determination of thorium isotopes in gas lantern mantles by alpha-spectrometry

A procedure for the determination of the three main isotopes of thorium in gas lantern mantles by alpha-spectrometry has been developed. The samples examined were dissolved in concentrated nitric acid and thorium was precipitated as hydroxide. Thorium was then dissolved in hydrochloric acid to be extracted into a TOPO solution, back-extracted with sulfuric acid, electrodeposited onto a steel disc and finally counted alpha-spectrometrically. The radiochemical recovery for thorium was 94% with a counting efficiency of 37%.     

Extraction studies of thorium(IV) with triphenylphosphine oxide

A simple method is described for the solvent extraction of thorium. Thorium is extracted quantitatively from 5·10^–3M sodium salicylate solution at pH 2.5–3.25 using 2.16·10^–2M triphenylphosphine oxide as an extractant dissolved in toluene. The extracted metal ion is stripped with hydrochloric acid (0.1M) and determined spectrophotometrically with Thoron-1 at 540 nm. The method permits separation of thorium from lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, samarium and uranium from binary mixtures and is applicable to the analysis of monazite sand. The method is precise, accurate and selective.     

Thorium complex of 2,7-dinitroso-1,8- dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulphonic acid : Complexometric determination of thorium with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

Thorium forms a pinkish-violet coloured complex with dinitrosochromotropic acid, which has been used as an indicator in the titrimetric determination of thorium with EDTA. The method is based on the fact that this coloured complex is less stable than the thorium-EDTA complex and breaks down after a bulk of thorium has reacted with EDTA; this marks the end-point, which is the change from pinkish-violet to red. am little as 3.1 mg of thorium present in 50 ml volume of solution may be accurately determined within a pH range from 2.2 to 3.5. The study of interferences revealed that quite a number of elements do not interfere; iron may be masked with ascorbic acid. Thorium may be determined by the same method, after separating it from many interfering ions by precipitating it with o-anisilic acid.     

Anion exchange of uranium and thorium in ketone media

Summary In the present work the adsorption behaviour of uranium and thorium was investigated on the strongly basic anion exchange resin Dowex 1 in ketone media containing hydrochloric or nitric acid. As a result of these studies two methods for the separation of uranium from thorium in acetone solution were developed.

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Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde das Adsorptionsverhalten von Uran und Thorium am stark basischen Anionenaustauscher Dowex 1 in salzs?ure- und salpeters?urehaltigen Ketonen untersucht. Es wurden zwei Methoden zur Trennung des Urans von Thorium in acetonhaltiger L?sung entwickelt.

     

Liquid-liquid extraction of thorium from malonate solution with liquid anion-exchangers

Thorium is quantitatively extracted with 4% Amberlite LA-1 or LA-2 in xylene, from 0.01M malonic acid medium at pH 3.0 and stripped from the organic phase with 1M hydrochloric acid, then determined spectrophotometrically at 545 nm as its complex with thoron. It is separated from other elements by selective extraction and stripping.     

Isolation of thorium in biological samples

A scheme for the isolation of subpicogram to microgram amounts of thorium from bone and soft tissue samples is described. Thorium is first collected by co-precipitation with iron(III) hydroxide and then adsorbed by a cation-exchange resin column from a concentrated hydrochloric acid solution of the precipitate. A double precipitation is necessary for bone samples whereas a single precipitation suffices for liver samples. The thorium is eluted from the column with an ammonium carbonate solution which is then evaporated to dryness to effect the isolation. Good recoveries of thorium from bone samples are obtained.     

Studies on the extraction and determination of metal salts with isobutyl methyl ketone-XIII Extraction of thorium and uranium

The work deals with the extraction of thorium or uranium from hydrochloric, perchloric, sulphuric or nitric acid solutions of various concentrations, or from mixed acid solutions, by means of isobutyl methyl ketone. When the extraction is made from 5-8M hydrochloric acid that is 10M in lithium chloride or from 7-8M hydrochloric acid that is 1M in magnesium chloride, uranium is extracted quantitatively (>99%), whereas thorium is hardly extracted at all.     

Selective extraction—Complexometric determination of thorium

A new selective analytical extraction method for thorium is described which is based on the extraction of thorium(IV) with n-butylaniline in chloroform. Thorium is selectively and quantitatively extracted from 1N to 2.5N sulphuric acid media in the presence of EDTA and ascorbic acid. Most of the cations do not interfere in the extraction of thorium. Phosphate, oxalate, citrate, tartarate, nitrate, chloride, borate, and arsenate do not interfere. Dichromate, chromate, and vanadate, on reduction with ascorbic acid, cause no interference. The interference due to fluoride can be easily eliminated with boric acid in the presence of dilute sulphuric acid. The method is simple, rapid, and selective, as compared to most of the methods reported for the extraction of thorium. The method is adaptable for macro and micro work. The method is, however, the only analytical method for the extraction of thorium in sulphuric acid media.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of thorium (IV) with hexaacetato calix(6)arene

Thorium(IV) was quantitatively extracted at pH 7.5 with 0.0001M of hexaacetato calix(6)arene in toluene and after stripping with 0.05M nitric acid, it was determined spectrophotometrically at 545 nm with thoron. Thorium(IV) was separated from commonly associated elements in fission products like uranium(VI), cesium(I), lead(II), strontium(II) and cerium(IV) in varying proportions. The method is simple, rapid, selective and applicable for the microgram concentrations of thorium(IV).     

Anion exchange separation of uranium, thorium and bismuth

Summary A method for the anion exchange separation of uranium, thorium and bismuth is described, using the strongly basic anion exchanger Dowex 1 X8. These three elements are simultaneously adsorbed on the resin (nitrate form) from a solution consisting of 96% n propanol and 4% 5 n nitric acid. The separation of thorium and bismuth from uranium is effected by washing the column with a mixture consisting of 80% methanol and 20% 5n nitric acid (elution of uranium). To separate thorium from bismuth the resin is then treated with a solution consisting of 80% methanol and 20% 6n hydrochloric acid whereby the thorium is eluted. Finally the bismuth is removed by washing the column with 1 n nitric acid. The experimental conditions for this separation scheme have been selected after the determination of the distribution coefficients of uranium, thorium, and bismuth in different mixtures of aliphatic alcohols with nitric and hydrochloric acid.

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Zusammenfassung Zur Trennung von Uran, Thorium und Wismut wird der stark basische Anionenaustauscher Dowex 1X8 verwendet. Aus einem Lösungsmittelgemisch von 96% n-Propanol und 4% 5n Salpetersäure werden die drei Elemente zusammen an dem Austauscher (Nitratform) adsorbiert. Mit einer Mischung von 80% Methanol und 20% 5n Salpetersäure wird sodann das Uran eluiert. Thorium wird mit einem Gemisch von 80% Methanol und 20% 6n Salzsäure ausgewaschen und schließlich wird mit 1 n Salpetersäure das Wismut von der Säule entfernt. Die Verteilungskoeffizienten der drei Metalle wurden in verschiedenen Gemischen von aliphatischen Alkoholen und Salz- sowie Salpetersäure bestimmt.

     

Separation of uranium(VI) as chloride complex by solvent extraction with dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6

Uranium(VI) was quantitatively extracted from 6 to 8M hydrochloric acid with 0.02M DC-18-crown-6 in chloroform. It was stripped from the organic phase with 0.5M hydrochloric acid and determined as its Arsenazo-III complex at 665 nm. Uranium(VI) was separated from several elements such as thorium, zirconium, scandium, yttrium, thallium and tin in complex mixtures. The method was extended for analysis of uranium in monazite and rock sample.     

Development of reliable analytical method for extraction and separation of thorium(IV) by Cyanex 272 in kerosene

A simple and selective spectrophotometric method has been developed for the extraction and separation of thorium(IV) from sodium salicylate media using Cyanex 272 in kerosene. Thorium(IV) was quantitatively extracted by 5 × 10⁻⁴ M Cyanex 272 in kerosene from 1 × 10⁻⁵M sodium salicylate medium. The extracted thorium(IV) was stripped out quantitatively from the organic phase with 4.0 M hydrochloric acid and determined spectrophotometrically with arsenazo(III) at 620 nm. The effect of concentrations of sodium salicylate, extractant, diluents, metal ion and strippants has been studied. Separation of thorium(IV) from other elements was achieved from binary as well as multicomponent mixtures such as uranium(VI), strontium(II), rubidium(I), cesium(I), potassium(I), Sodium(I), lithium(I), lead(II), barium(II), beryllium(II) etc. Using this method separation and determination of thorium(IV) in geological and real samples has been carried out. The method is simple, rapid and selective with good reproducibility (approximately ±2%).     

Separation of Thorium(IV) from Associated Elements Using Poly-(Dibenzo-18-Crown-6) and Column Chromatography from Picric Acid Medium

A simple column chromatographic method has been developed for the separation of thorium(IV) from associated elements using poly-(dibenzo-18-crown-6). The separations are carried out from picric acid medium. The adsorption of thorium(IV) was quantitative from 0.0005–0.05M picric acid. Amongst the various eluents tested, 2.0–8.0M HCl, HBr, 1.0–6.0M HClO₄ and 5.0M acetic acid were found to be particularly efficient for the quantitative elution of thorium(IV). The capacity of poly-(dibenzo-18-crown-6) for thorium(IV) was found to be 1.29±0.01 mmol/g of crown polymer. Thorium(IV) was separated from a number of cations in binary mixtures in which most of the cations showed a very high tolerance limit. It was possible to separate thorium(IV) from a number of cations such as lanthanum(III), yttrium(III), uranium(VI), beryllium(II) and barium(II) in multicomponent mixtures. The method was extended to the determination of thorium in monazite sand. It is possible to separate and determine 5 ppm of thorium(IV) by this method. The method is very simple, rapid, selective and has good reproducibility (approximately ±2%).     

Accurate determination of trace amounts of thorium in silicate rocks by cation-exchange chromatography and spectrophotometry

Thorium in four of the South African NIMROC standards and in four secondary standards is determined accurately by means of spectrophotometry with arsenazo-III after a selective cation-exchange separation on an AG50W-X4 resin column. All other elements are eluted with 6 M hydrobromic acid before the final elution of thorium with 5 M nitric acid. Small amounts of zirconium which may be present in the thorium eluate, are effectively complexed with oxalic acid which also eliminates the spectrophotometric interferences caused by organic material leached from the resin column. The accuracy and precision of the method are demonstrated by the analysis of synthetic mixtures containing various amounts of thorium. Amounts of 10 and 100 μg of thorium can finally be determined with coefficients of variation of 1% and 0.2%, respectively.