Separation of gallium, indium and thallium by extraction with n-octylaniline in chloroform

Abstract

Extraction of gallium(III), indium(III) and thallium(III) with n-octylaniline in chloroform at various concentrations of hydrogen halide acids (HCl, HBr, HI) has been studied and a scheme for their separation proposed. The procedure can be successfully applied to the separation and determination of gallium in presence of mercury, bismuth, manganese, zinc and lead; indium in presence of bismuth, antimony, lead, mercury, cadmium and zinc; and thallium in presence of mercury, cadmium, manganese, aluminium, tin and antimony. The advantage of the method is that the reagent can be recovered for reuse. The method is simple, rapid, and effects clear-cut separation.