Extraction of manganese(II) with dithizone and potassium thiocyanate on foam sorbents for spectrophotometric determination in silicates

Abstract

A method for selective extraction of Mn(II) with dithizone and potassium thiocyanate has been described. The method involves formation of a Mn(II)-thiocyanate-dithizone complex in a hexamine medium containing potassium thiocyanate (2.8 M), dithizone (5.5–6.5 × 10 −5M) and hydroxylamine hydrochloride (0.25%) at pH ∼6 followed by extraction of the complex on polyurethane foam using batch squeezing mode within 1 hr. The sorbed Mn-thiocyanate-dithizone complex is eluted with acetone and made alkaline with 0.5 ml of a stabilizer solution (19 ml 2 M NH 3 solution + 1 ml 5% hydroxylamine hydrochloride). The absorbance of the solution is measured at 506 nm. The adverse effect due to Pb may be obviated by separating the Pb as the sulphate during decomposition of sample and that due to iron may be removed before extraction of Mn by any suitable method. The other interfering elements (Cd, Zn, Ni, Co, Cu, etc.) are masked with KCN (6 × 10 −3 M optimum) solution. The method obeys Beer's Law from 0.1 to 2.0 μg Mn/ml. The method has been applied to various silicates, carbonates and glasses.