Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum(VI) with Malachite Green and p-chloromandelic acid

Molybdenum(VI) reacts with p-chloromandelic acid to form a complex extractable into chlorobenzene with Malachite Green, from aqueous solution at pH 2.0-4.0 at room temperature, and can then be determined indirectly by measuring the absorbance of the Malachite Green in the extract, at 630 nm. The calibation graph is linear for molybdenum over the range 0.26-10.0 x 10(-6)M (0.10-4.0 mug); the apparent molar absorptivity is 1.06 x 10(5) l.mole(-1).cm(-1). The method has been applied to the determination of molybdenum in mild steels with satisfactory results.