Selective determination of neodymium and erbium in mixtures with other lanthanides by second-derivative spectrophotometry of complexes with benzoyl-indan-1,3-dione and cetylpyridinium chloride

The absorption spectra of 4f electron transitions of the neodymium and erbium complexes with benzoyl-indan-1,3-dione and cetylpyridinium chloride have been studied by conventional and derivative spectrophotometry. The second-derivative spectrum has been used to eliminate the interference of the other lanthanides, and to increase the sensitivity by a further factor of 4–6. Beer's Law is obeyed for 6–29 g/ml Nd and 7–33 g/ml Er. The relative standard deviations evaluated from 10 independent determinations of 5.0 g/ml Nd and Er were 1.1% (Nd) and 1.6% (Er). The detection limits obtained from the sensitivity of the calibration graphs and 3s _b, (standard deviation of the blank,n = 11) were 0.63 g/ml Nd and 0.61 g/ml Er. The quantification limits (10s _b) were 2.1 g/ml Nd and 2.0 g/ml Er. A method for the direct determination of neodymium and erbium in rare earth mixtures with good accuracy and selectivity is proposed.