DISTRIBUTION OF THORIUM (IV) IONS IN AQUEOUS EXFOLIATING SYSTEM CONTAINING ANTIPYRINE AND SULFOSALICYLIC ACID

Abstract

The possibilities of an aqueous delaminating system containing antipyrine (AP) and sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) for extracting macro - and microamounts of thorium (IV) were studied. The proposed extraction system eliminates the use of toxic organic solvents. The dependences of the distribution of metal from nitrate solutions between phases on the concentration of reagents, acidity of the medium, the amount of inorganic salting-out agent (NaNO3, NH4NO3, Na2SO4) and the volume of the aqueous phase are determined, and optimal conditions for extraction are found. It is shown that in the organic phase with a volume of 1.6 ml at room temperature, macro-and microamounts of thorium (IV) are extracted by 88 and 90%, respectively. The maximum extraction of the cation is achieved at the ratio of AP: SSA = 2.0 : 1.0 and their concentration, mol/l: 0.6: 0.3, while the acidity of the medium created by nitric acid should be equal to 0.015 mol/l (pHequ. = 1.8-1.9). The extraction of thorium (IV) becomes quantitative if inorganic salts (sodium sulfate, sodium nitrate) are introduced into the AP – SSA – 0,015 mol/l HNO3 – H2O system, which, by reducing the activity of water, increase the concentration of reagents in the aqueous phase. The concentration of salting-out agents should correspond to 1.0 and 2.5 mol/l. A mechanism for the distribution of a mixed thorium (IV) complex containing AP, SSA, nitrate ions, solvated with a salt of antipyrinium sulfosalicylate is proposed. The extract is mixed in any relationship with distilled water, providing the use of various instrumental methods of analysis. A method for extraction-photometric determination of thorium (IV) with a toron indicator has been developed. The limit for the fulfillment of the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law is established. The apparent coefficient of light absorption is calculated (ε = 1.7∙104).