SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF RUTHENIUM AFTER EXTRACTION OF PERRUTHENATE AND BENZYLTRIBUTYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE

A simple and convenient extractive spectrophotometric method for the d etermination of ruthenium has been developed. It is based on the oxida tion of the different ruthenium (II, III or IV) species to perruthenat e with potassium periodate at pH 7.8. The perruthenate is then extract ed with benzyltributylammonium chloride in chloroform followed by dire ct spectrophotometric measurements at 342 and 380 nm. The optimum conc entration range was found to be 0.1-5 mg l-1, the standard deviation /- 2.1%. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of ruthenium in organoruthenium compounds.