Spectrophotometric Determination of Zirconium in Monazite Sand

Abstract

A sensitive spectrophotornetric method was developed for the determination of zirconium in monazite sand. The zirconium ion was previously separated from the ather interfering elements by a 0.5 M rhenoyltrinuoroacetone (TT.4)-xylene extraction, then determined with Arsenazo I11 in 9 h.f HCI medium. Zirconium reacted with Arsenazo 111 to form a n emeraled green coloured complex having maximum absorbance a t 665nm i n 9M HCI medium, The color mas stabte €or a t least 2hours. Effects of time, HCI concentration, gdatine and various ions have been studied. The system confirms the Beer's larv over the concentration range investigated. Optimum condition range for measurement in 1.Ocrn quartz ceIl is 0.1-0.5pg/mI of zirconium. The molar absorptivity is 1.51~10~ liter mole" cm-'. The metal-ligand ratio of 1:4 was confirmed by Job's Continuous Variation method and the conditional stability constant of Zirconium-Arsenazo 111 Complex in 4 M HC1 and 9 M HCl weTe also determined b y this method,