Stripping voltammetry of thorium based on adsorptive accumulation

A sensitive stripping voltammetric procedure for quantifying thorium is described. The chelate of thorium with the azo dye Mordant Blue 9 is adsorbed on the hanging mercury drop electrode, and the reduction current of the accumulated chelate is measured during a negative-going potential scan. Cyclic voltammetry is used to characterize the interfacial and redox behaviors. The effects of pH, dye concentration and accumulation potential are discussed. The detection limit is 4 × 10^?10 M (4-min accumulation), a linear current-concentration relationship is observed up to 1.3 × 10^?7 M, and the relative standard deviation (at the 6 × 10^?8 M level) is 3.1%. Possible interferences by trace metals and organic surfactants are investigated. Simultaneous quantitation of thorium and nickel is illustrated.