Chromatographic separation of vanadium, tungsten and molybdenum with a liquid anion-exchanger.

In acidic solution only molybdenum(VI), tungsten(VI), vanadium(V), niobium(V) and tantalum(V) form stable, anionic complexes with dilute hydrogen peroxide. This fact has been used in developing an analytical method of separating molybdenum(VI), tungsten(VI) and vanadium(V) from other metal ions and from each other. Preliminary investigations using reversed-phase paper chromatography and solvent extraction led to a reversed-phase column Chromatographic separation technique. These metal-peroxy anions are retained by a column containing a liquid anion-exchanger (General Mills Aliquat 336) in a solid support. Then molybdenum(VI), tungsten(VI) and vanadium(V) are selectively eluted with aqueous solutions containing dilute hydrogen peroxide and varying concentrations of sulphuric acid.