Anion-exchange separations of metal ions in thiocyanate media.

The analytical potential of a weak-base macroreticular anion-exchange resin for the quantitative separation of metal ions in thiocyanate media is investigated and demonstrated. Distribution data are given for the sorption of some 25 metal ions from aqueous mixtures of potassium thiocyanate (1.0M or less) and 0.5M hydrochloric acid. The magnitude of the distribution data suggests many possible separations, some of which were quantitatively performed by procedures which are fast, simple and require only mild conditions. Representative separations are removal of traces of iron(III) and copper(II) from water samples prior to the determination of water hardness (calcium and magnesium), separation of nickel(II) from vanadium(IV) and the separation of thorium(IV) from titanium(IV). Some multicomponent separations are the separation of rare earths(III) and thorium(IV) from scandium(III) and the separation of rare earths(III) from iron(III) and uranium(VI).