Study of the concentration and separation of cadmium with microcrystalline phenolphthalein modified by crystal violet

A new method for cadmium separation and concentration with microcrystalline phenolphthalein modified by crystal violet (CV) was developed in the paper. In the presence of potassium iodide (KI) and CV, cadmium are quantitatively absorbed on microcrystalline phenolphthalein in the pH range 1.0–6.0 as the forms of water-insoluble ion-associated complexes (CdI3−)·(CV+) and (CdI42−)·(CV+)2. Effect of different parameters such as phenolphthalein amount, stirring time, the concentration of CV and KI, various salts and metal ions was studied in detail. During the present study, a significant enhancement of the extraction of cadmium was observed. Cd(II) can be completely separated from Zn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), Cr(III) and Al(III) in this microcrystalline system and well concentrated without the interference of these metal ions at high level. The possible reactive mechanism of cadmium concentration has been discussed. Analytical results obtained by this new method were very gratifying.