Guaiacol as a new reagent for the spectrophotometric determination of uranium

Guaiacol, i.e. o-hydroxyanisole, gives a distinct color reaction with U(VI) suitable for spectrophotometric determination of the metal. The complex formed in the reaction has an absorption maximum at 352 nm. The method has been made very specific by selective extraction of U(VI) with TBP from a mixture of different cations and anions in the presence of 60% NH4NO3 as salting out agent followed by developing the color in the non-aqueous phase by adding quaiacol in methanol at pH 6.5 to 8.5. Results obtained by the new method compare very well with those of conventional fluorimetric and radiometric assays. (R.P.) 20 refs.; 3 tabs