Sorption behaviour of rubidium,thallium and silver on chromium ferricyanide gel binary separations of Rb+ and Tl+

Sorption behaviour of monovalent Rb⁺, Tl⁺ and Ag⁺ is studied on chromium fericyanide gel. Log K_d vs log concentration plots show that Rb⁺ and Tl⁺ are sorbed through ion exchange mechanism in a higher concentration range of ammonium nitrate or nitric acid, whereas the adsorption of Ag⁺ is irreversible. It was found possible to elute Rb⁺ and Tl⁺ on the columns of this gel by 4 mol dm⁻³ NH₄NO₃ and 10 mol dm⁻³ HNO₃, respectively. Binary separations of Rb⁺ and Tl⁺ from a number of other metal ions were achieved as other ions were found practically unadsorbed on these columns and were eluted with water of pH 2–3. Achieved separations are of radioanalytical and analytical importance.