Aspartic acid as selective complexometric reagent for beryllium determination

The determination has been developed of trace amounts of beryllium in the presence of rare-earth elements and of elements of the copper subgroup in the form of Be(2) chelate complexes with aspartic acid. The analyzed samples have been titrated with aspartic acid in water-ethanol solutions (pH 5-6) in the presence of arsenazo 1 or arsenazo 2. The equivalence point has been indicated both visually (a change of violet colour into pink) and photometrically. This method allows for determination of beryllium with a relative error no more than 5% in the presence of the elements interfering with analysis when other methods are used. The sensitivity of the method is no less than that of gravimetric and radiochemical methods and more than sensitivity of radioactivation method