Spectroscopic determination of neodymium (III), praseodymium (III), samarium (III) and Terbium (III) in aqueous and micelle media using 2,2′- ((1E,1′E) - (1,4 phenylenebis (Azanylylidene)) Bis (Methanylylidene)) diphenol (BSPPD) as ligand

Lanthanide metals, as well as other heavy metals, are toxic and have an accumulative effect in biotic and abiotic organisms emanating from drug, electronic, glass, laser, electrical, nuclear, ceramic, and metallurgical industries. This study was carried out with the aim to use a simple, rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of Nd (III), Pr (III), Sm(III) and Tb(III) using the Schiff base 2,2′-((1E,1′E)-(1,4-phenylenebis (azanylylidene)) bis (methanylylidene)) diphenol (BSPPD). The objectives of this study were; to synthesize Nd(III), Pr(III), Sm(III) and Tb(III) complexes of BSPPD, to characterize the ligands and their metal complexes on the basis of melting point, conductivity, thermogravimetry, infra-red, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C) and UV-Visible spectroscopy and analyse the potentials of BSPPD as spectrophotometric reagents for Nd(III), Pr(III), Sm(III) and Tb(III) based on their interaction with Schiff bases. The analysis of the complexes formed in aqueous and micellar media was investigated in this study. Spectral and absorbance measurements were carried out using a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (Jenway: 6305) with 1-cm matched quartz cells. The method of experiment used was based on the formation of dark brown coloured complexes upon the reaction of Nd(III), Sm(III), Tb(III) and reddish brown coloured complexes for Pr(III), with the highest absorbance of 368, 373, 372 and 374 nm, respectively. Beer’s law was obeyed from 0.001-0.02 ppm for aqueous medium and 0.001-0.01 ppm in micellar media as observed in this study. The molar absorptivity was observed within the ranges of 341-25993 dm3mol-1cm-1 for aqueous medium and 9601-84944 dm3mol-1cm-1 for micellar media.