Selective and quantitative separation of zinc and lead from other elements by cation-exchange chromatography in hydrohalic acid-acetone solutions

Abstract

Zinc and lead can be separated from Cd, Bi(III), In and V(V) by eluting these elements with 0.2 M hydrochloric acid in 60% acetone from a column of AG5OW-X8 cation-exchange resin, zinc and lead being retained. Mercury(II), Tl(III), As(III), Au(III), Sn(IV), Mo(VI), W(VI) and the platinum metals have not been investigated quantitatively, but from their distribution coefficients, should also be eluted. Vanadium(V), Mo(VI) and W(VI) require the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Zinc and lead can be eluted with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid in 60% acetone or 0.5 M hydrobromic acid in 65% acetone and determined by AAS; the alkali and alkaline-earth metal ions, Mn(II), Co, Ni, Cu(II), Fe(III), Al, Ga, Cr(III), Ti(IV), Zr, Hf, Th, Sc, Y, La and the lanthanides are retained on the column, except for a small fraction of copper eluted with zinc and lead. Separations are sharp and quantitative. The method has successfully been applied to determination of zinc and lead in three silicate rocks and a sediment.