Radiochemical studies on the extraction of arsenic(III) by trilaurylamine oxide and benzene from aqueous iodide solutions and its determination in water samples by spectrophotometry

An extraction system consisting of trilaurylamine N-oxide and benzene has been identified as a possible extractant for tracer arsenic (<10^–3 M) from hydrochloric or sulfuric acid solutions with or without iodide. Benzene alone is less efficient as an extractant for arsenic when compared with trilaurylamine oxide dissolved in benzene. The mechanism of extraction is attributed to the formation of hydrated AsCl₃, while the iodide complex is most probably AsI₄^–. The role of the solvent and the other parameters affecting the extraction have been investigated. The results have been employed to determine arsenic in water samples by spectrophotometry using the molybdenum blue method. The extraction procedure was used for the analysis of 10 ml water samples containing 0.2–0.5 g of arsenic.