Rapid and selective method for the spectrophotometric determination of tin using potassium ethylxanthate

Tin (II) forms a yellow complex with potassium ethylxanthate which can be extracted into chloroform. Tin is determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbance at 360 nm. Beer's law is obeyed up to 120 g of Sn in the aqueous phase with a Sandell sensitivity of 0.013 g Sn/cm². Metal ions such as Ti(IV), Cr(VI), Mn(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Al(III), U(VI), W(VI), Th(IV) and Zr(IV) do not interfere, but Mo(VI), Co(II) and Bi(III) do. Interference due to Fe(II, III), Ni(II) and V(V) is checked by suitable masking agents. Analysis of some synthetic and industrial samples has been carried out by the proposed method.