Solid phase extraction and spectrophotometric determination of Au(III) with 5-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenylazo)thiorhodanine.

A new chromogenic reagent, 5-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenylazo)thiorhodanine (HNATR) was synthesized. A highly sensitive, selective and rapid method for the determination microg l(-1) level of Au(III) based on the rapid reaction of Au(III) with HNATR and the solid phase extraction of the colored complex with a reversed phase polymer-based C(18) cartridge have been developed. The HNATR reacted with Au(III) to form a red complex of a molar ratio 1:2 (Au(III) to HNATR) in the presence of 0.05 - 0.5 mol l(-1) of phosphoric acid solution and emulsifier-OP medium. This complex was enriched by the solid phase extraction with a polymer-based C(18) cartridge. The enrichment factor of 100 was achieved. The molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.37 x 10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) at 520 nm in the measured solution. The system obeys Beer's law in the range of 0.01 - 3 microg ml(-1). The relative standard deviation for eleven replicates sample of 0.5 microg l(-1) level is 2.18%. The detection limit, based on the three times of standard deviation is 0.02 microg l(-1) in the original sample. This method was applied to the determination of gold in water and ore with good results.