Selective Ion Flotation Separation and Concentration of Ultra Trace Amounts of Bismuth Using Arsenazo III and Its Determination by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

A rapid, selective, and highly sensitive froth flotation method for the separation and enrichment of ultra trace amounts of bismuth is developed. The bismuth-Arsenazo III complex is concentrated from 1000 mL of aqueous solution into the scum in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant. The proposed procedure of pre-concentration is applied prior to the determination of bismuth using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Effects of Arsenazo III concentration, pH, CTAB concentration, and foreign ions have been studied. The proposed method possesses a pre-concentration factor of 500 and a detection limit of 0.28 ng mL⁻¹.

Keywords:

• Arsenazo III
• bismuth
• froth-flotation
• ICP-AES determination

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The support of this work by the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and TWAS-Iran Chapter is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

^a Maximum limit tested.

^b In the presence of 0.05 M ascorbic acid, as reducing agent.

^a Not detected.

^a Values in parentheses are SDs for three replicate measurements.