Determining gold in water by anion-exchange batch extraction.
This paper describes a batch procedure for determining gold in natural waters. It is completely adaptable to field operations. The water samples are filtered and acidified before they are equilibrated with an anion-exchange resin by shaking. The gold is then eluted with acetone-nitric acid solution, and the eluate evaporated to dryness. The residue is taken up in hydrobromic acid-bromine solution and the gold is extracted with methyl isobutyl ketone. The extract is electrothermally atomized in an atomic-absorption spectrophotometer. The limit of determination is 1 ng/1.
McHugh
J B
JB
U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, MS 955, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, USA.