Solid phase extraction of palladium using N, N-diethyl benzoylthiourea as a ligand

Due to increase in demand of Pd in various fields, nuclear reactor produced platinum group of elements are being considered as an alternative source. Their recovery from nuclear waste is also important for nuclear waste management. Thiourea based sulphur donor ligands are extensively used for Pd separation and extraction from different matrices. An automated solid phase extraction (Auto-SPE) method for separation of Pd employing N, N-diethyl benzoylthiourea (DEBT) as a complexing agent was developed. Concentration of DEBT and acidity were optimized for the SPE steps such as loading, washing and elution. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) being a soft ionisation technique was employed for the studying the complexation of Pd with DEBT. The eluted fraction of SPE was infused directly into ESI-MS for monitoring the metal ligand species. The optimized method was then applied for Pd determination in simulated high level liquid waste