Stability Constants and Spectroscopic Properties of Thorium(IV)–Arsenazo III Complexes in Aqueous Hydrochloric Medium

The complexation characteristics of thorium–arsenazo III in the range of 1–6 mol·L −1 hydrochloric acid media were investigated by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy and computational analysis. The chemical equilibrium model of thorium–arsenazo III complexation was established including the species distribution of arsenazo III, the formation of thorium chloride species, and the release of protons from thorium–arsenazo III complexes. In the spectra of thorium–arsenazo III complexes, two characteristic absorption peaks were observed at 610 and 660 nm, and the latter peak showed a tendency to shift about 4 nm to higher wavelength as the acidity of the hydrochloric acid media increased from 1 to 6 mol·L −1 . Analysis of the experimental data indicates that the molar absorptivities of both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes (thorium to arsenazo III) steadily increase as the acidity of medium increases. The determined stability constants of 1:1 and 1:2 complexes at various concentrations of hydrochloric acid were extrapolated to zero ionic strength, based on the specific ion interaction theory (SIT) approach. The limiting stability constants were determined to be log_10β_11^o = 8.56 ± 0.13 and log_10β_12^o = 15.17 ± 0.18 with ion interaction coefficients of Δ ε 11 = –0.57 ± 0.02 kg·mol −1 and Δ ε 12 = –0.60 ± 0.04 kg·mol −1 , respectively.