Preconcentration of gold on chelating polymer adsorbents and its determination in rocks and ores

A new class of chelating polymer adsorbents was synthesized on the basis of aminopolystyrene azo compounds and various para-substituted anilines. Physicochemical and analytical properties of adsorbents and their ionic associates with the [AuCl4](-) anion were studied. Correlations between the ionization constants of amino group (pK(NH2)) and the Hammett electronic constant (sigma(n)) were found. A linear correlation between the charge on the amino group nitrogen atom and the (sigma(n)) value was revealed on the basis of the results of quantum-chemical calculations. A sorption-spectroscopic method was developed for determining gold in ores and rocks. The method was verified by analyzing certified reference samples of ores and rocks in the gold concentration range between n x 10(-3) and n x 10(-6)%, RSD = 5%.