CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF WATER IN NON-AQUEOUS PHASES OF SOLVENT EXTRACTION SYSTEMS.

The determination of water in the non-aqueous phases of solvent extraction systems has, to date, been performed almost exclusively by Karl Fischer titration. This method is not particularly accurate, can require rather large water samples, and is inconvenient or unsatisfactory where frequent sampling from a system of 'fixed' volume is necessary. However, studies have been carried out of the determination by gas chromatography, a technique which is potentially capable of overcoming the foregoing objections attributed to the Karl Fischer method. The method described here was developed to satisfy conditions relevant to the measurement of the transfer rate of water from an aqueous phase into tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) in toluene. It could be used widely for water determination in other solvent extraction systems. Procedural details of the method are given and its advantages are outlined.