ADSORPTIVE STRIPPING VOLTAMMETRIC DETERMINATION OF GERMANIUM IN ZINC PLANT ELECTROLYTE

Germanium is detrimental to the electrochemical deposition of zinc. Co nsequently, its concentration needs to be monitored in an electrolytic zinc plant. Pyrocalechol violet can be used as a complexing agent wit h germanium. Adsorption of the complex followed by reduction allows a sensitive differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetric method to become available for the determination of germanium at a hanging me rcury drop electrode in zinc plant electrolyte. Interference in the de termination of germanium can occur from the presence of cadmium, lead and zinc metal ions. Careful adjustment of the pH of the solution shif ts the germanium -pyrocatechol violet wave to potentials where interef erence is minimal. However, if the relative concentration of cadmium a nd lead are too high, then these ions can be separated from germanium ions by bulk electrolysis to their amalgams at a mercury pool electrod e. The method developed has been applied to zinc plant electrolyte and ore samples.