Liquid-liquid extraction and spectrophotometric determination of uranium(6) with thiothenoyltrifluoroacetone

1,1,1-Trifluoro-4-(2-thienyl)-4-mercapto-but-3-en-3-one (STTA) that is thio-substituted derivative of 2-thenoyltrifluoracetone was used for the simultaneous extraction and direct spectrophotometric determination of uranium(6). Thus about 360 μg of uranium can be quantitatively extracted with a mixture of 7 ml of 0.001 M of STTA in carbon tetrachloride and 3 ml of butyl acetate in the pH region of 5.5 to 6. The absorbance of orange coloured complex was measured at a wave length of 490 nm. The system fulfills the Beers law in the concentration range of 4.5 to 54 μg of uranium(6) per ml. The complex is stable for at least 120 hours. The salting-out agent have no significant effect on the process of extraction. Extraction was quantitative within 10 min of equilibration. Higher concentration of reagent have negligible effect in enhancing extraction. Uranium can be quantitatively extracted and determined in the presence of a large number of elements. (author)