Potentiometric redox determination of gold(III) and its application to alloys

The simple potentiometric method proposed for the indirect determination of 1–10 mg of gold(III) is based on reduction to the metal with excess of cobalt(II) in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine at pH 3 and 50°C, and titration of the unused cobalt(II) complex with iron(III) chloride solution. Many metal ions can be tolerated; Ag(I) and Pd(II) are eliminated by precipitation with sodium chloride and 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine, respectively, but Hg(II), Fe(III) and Pt(IV) interfere. The method is applied to the determination of gold in alloys.