Quantitative Separation of Magnesium and Palladium from Numerous Metal Ions on Titanium Tungstate Papers by Electrochromatography

Abstract

Electrochromatography of forty-six metal ions has been performed in fifteen electrolytes on papers impregnated with titanium tungstate by applying different electrical potentials and allowing different time intervals for migration. On the basis of the differential mobility of the cations, which depend on the nature of the complexes formed with the background electrolytes and the ion exchange properties of titanium tungstate, a large number of binary and ternary separations have been achieved. The separations of one metal ion from numerous metal ions have also been accomplished. For example, the following difficult and important separations have been made: Cu²⁺-Cd²⁺-Bi³⁺, Ag⁺-Cu²⁺-Au³⁺, Pd²⁺-Pt⁴⁺-Ir⁴⁺, Hg²⁺-Cd²⁺-Zn²⁺, Ag⁺-Pt⁴⁺, Au³⁺-Pt⁴⁺, Cd²⁺-Bi³⁺ Bi³⁺-Pb²⁺, Bi³⁺-Hg²⁺, Pd²⁺-Ru³⁺, Ga³⁺-In³⁺, La³⁺-Ce⁴⁺, Hg₂ ²⁺-Hg²⁺, Mg²⁺-Al³⁺, Hg²⁺ from forty-five cations, Au3⁺ from forty-one cations, Pd²⁺ from forty-three cations. Magnesium and palladium have been quantitatively separated in 100–200 μg quantities from binary mixtures as well as from synthetic mixtures containing commonly interfering metals.