Reversed-phase HPLC separation of complex mixtures of trace metals as dibenzyldithiocarbamate chelates.

ABSTRACT

The dibenzyldithiocarbamate chelates of Cd(II), Pb(II), Bi(III), Hg(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), As(III), Fe(III), Co(III) and In(III) are separated by reversed-phase HPLC in isocratic conditions. The procedure is simple, rapid, and gives satisfactory separations with high efficiency and sensitivity at mobile phase compositions very rich in organic modifier (85-88% CH(3)CN). The detection limits range from 1.4 to 14 mug/1. The elution order is correlated with the ability of the central metal atom to affect the electronic distribution of the ligand, which has readily polarizable donor atoms. Infrared spectroscopy data corroborate this assumption.