Solvent extraction and spectrophotometric determination of Uranium (VI) using 2,2′-[1,2-phenylenebis(nitrilomethylidene)]bisphenol (BSOPD) as an analytical reagent

2,2'-[1,2-phenylenebis(nitrilomethylidene)]bisphenol (BSOPD) is synthesized in the laboratory and characterized by NMR, IR and elemental analysis for its purity. This reagent forms a yellow complex with U(VI) which can be quantitatively extracted into chloroform at pH 10. This complex in chloroform shows an intense absorption peak at 413.0 nm. It is observed that Beer’s law is obeyed in the range of 2.0-10.0 ppm of metal solution. It gives a linear and reproducible graph under appropriate conditions, the complex having a molar absorptivity of 3.69 x 104 L mol-1·cm-1. Sandell’s sensitivity calculated was found to be 4.4 x 10-3 μg·cm-2. Nature of the extracted complex, determined by Job’s continuous variation method, Slope ratio method and Mole ratio method shows that the composition of U(VI) : BSOPD complex is 1:4. Interference by various ions is studied and masking agents used where required. The proposed method has been applied for the determination of U (VI) in monazite sand and synthetic samples. The results of the analysis are found to be comparable with those obtained by standard method.