Colorimetric Determination of Bismuth in Bismuth Subsalicylate Oil Suspension
Abstract A study was made of a colorimetric determination of bismuth in bismuth subsalicylate oil suspension, similar to that of Official Methods of Analysis. The method depends upon the formation of a yellow bismuth-thiourea complex which exhibits maximum absorption at 465 mμ. Sesame oil is removed by ether extraction after HNO3 hydrolysis and the bismuth nitrate formed is converted to bismuth-thiourea complex with 2.5% thiourea solution in HNO3 (1 + 9). The color complex is stable and follows Beer’s law. The method is comparatively specific for bismuth, since only vanadium and antimony give similar color. It is satisfactory at concentrations as low as 50 μg of bismuth in the final solution. Nine collaborators reported favorable results; it is recommended that the method be adopted as official, first action.