Use of pyrocatechol violet modified sodium dodecyl sulfate coated on alumina for separation and preconcentration of uranium(VI)

A sensitive and selective solid phase extraction procedure for the determination of trace of uranium(VI) has been developed. An alumina-sodium dodecyl sulfate coated on with pyrocatechol violet was used for preconcentration and determination of uranyl ions by spectrophotometry method using Arsenazo III reagent. Sorbed ions were quantitatively eluted using 5 mL of 0.25 mol L-1 HNO3. The effects of parameters such as pH, amount of alumina, amount of ligand, flow rate, type and concentration of elution agent were examined. The capacity of the sorbent for U(VI) was found to be 0.92 mmol g(-1). The relative standard deviation was 1.28% for 10 replicate determinations of U(VI) ion in a solution with a concentration of 1.0 mu g mL(-1). The practical applicability of the developed sorbent was examined using synthetic and real samples such as standard reference material 2709 (San Joaquin Soil) and 2711 (Montana Soil).