The separation and determination of pentachlorophenol in treated softwoods and preservative solutions

Abstract

A method is described for the extraction, separation and determination of pentachlorophenol or its sodium salt in softwoods and preservative solutions. Pentachlorophenol is separated from lower chlorophenols and wood extractives by adsorption on to Bio-Rad AG 2-X8 anion-exchange resin, eluted with glacial acetic acid, extracted into chloroform, and determined by spectrophotometric measurement of the blue 4-aminophenazone-pentachlorophenol complex.

The effect of time and temperature on the oxidation-condensation reaction of 4-aminophenazone with pentachlorophenol has been investigated.

The procedure is particularly useful for the study of the distribution of pentachlorophenol-containing preservatives in wood.