Physical modification of silica gel with bis(2,2'-methylenephenol) diaminoethane for separation and spectrophotometric determination of Cu(II) from Ni(II) ions

Physical modification of silica gel with bis(2,2'-methylenephenol)diaminoethane (BMPDE) for extraction of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions was investigated in four different acids; H2SO4, HCl, HNO3 and HClO4 in the concentration range of 10-1 -10-4 M and pH 1-11. The stability of the BMPDE-physically-modified silica gel was investigated in the same acid concentrations and pH range. Maximum adsorption of BMPDE onto silica was observed at pH 10 with percentage removal of 92.50 % while the presence of HCl, H2SO4, HNO3, HClO4 in the concentration range 10-1-10- 4 M depressed adsorption of BMPDE onto activated silica gel. Optimum separation of Cu(II) occurred at pH 9 while that of Ni(II) was at pH 7. Extraction of the two metal ions in the four acids HCl, H2SO4, HNO3, and HClO4 in the concentration range of 10-1-10-4 M was between 8-77%.

Author(s): Francis K. Onwu and Patrick I. Uguru

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