WET METHODS.
Detection.—Bismuth is detected by dissolving the substance in nitric or hydrochloric acid and precipitating the diluted solution with sulphuretted hydrogen. The precipitated sulphides, after digesting with soda and washing, are dissolved in nitric acid and the solution boiled with ammonium carbonate. The precipitate is washed and then warmed with dilute sulphuric acid. The solution will contain the bismuth. Add a solution of potassium iodide in excess, and boil; a yellow or dark brown solution proves that bismuth is present. Another good test for small quantities of bismuth is to add tartaric acid to the solution to be tested, and then to make it alkaline with potash. Add a few c.c. of Schneider's liquid,[61] and heat. A brownish-black colour is produced by as little as one part of bismuth in 200,000 of solution. The test is not applicable in the presence of mercury, copper, or manganese.
Compounds of bismuth fused with cyanide of potassium in a Berlin crucible readily give a globule of bismuth which is recognised by its appearance and fracture.
Solution and Separation.—The solution of bismuth compounds presents no difficulty. They are soluble in nitric acid or aqua regia, and, provided the solution is sufficiently acid, they remain dissolved. In separating it from other metals the solution is made up to about 100 c.c. and treated with a current of sulphuretted hydrogen. The bismuth comes down in a tolerably strong acid solution. The sulphide is decanted on to a filter and washed. It is next digested with ammonic sulphide; or, better (especially when other metals are present), dissolved in nitric acid, and treated with an excess of ammonia and a current of sulphuretted hydrogen. The precipitate is filtered off and evaporated to dryness with nitric acid. It is taken up with a few drops of sulphuric acid and a little water; and warmed and filtered, if necessary. The filtrate is nearly neutralised with ammonia; ammonium carbonate added in slight excess; and the liquid heated to boiling and filtered. The bismuth will be contained in the precipitate with perhaps traces of lead, antimony, tin, or sometimes iron from incomplete separation or washing. When only traces of a precipitate are got it must be tested. The bismuth precipitate is readily soluble in dilute nitric acid.
GRAVIMETRIC DETERMINATION.
The bismuth having been separated and dissolved in nitric acid[62] is precipitated (after dilution) by the addition of carbonate of ammonium in slight excess, and boiling. The precipitate is filtered off, washed with hot water, dried, ignited, and weighed. The ignition should be performed carefully at not above a low red heat. The oxide which is formed has, at this temperature, a dark yellow or brown colour, and becomes yellow on cooling. It is bismuthic oxide (Bi2O3) and contains 89.65 per cent. of bismuth. Fusion with potassium cyanide at a temperature just sufficient to melt the salt reduces it to the metal which falls to the bottom and runs into a globule. The button of metal may be weighed, but it often sticks tenaciously to the bottom of the crucible. The precipitation with ammonic carbonate must not be made in a sulphate or chloride solution; since basic compounds would then be thrown down, and the result on weighing would either be too low (because of the volatilisation of the chloride), or too high (because of the retention of sulphuric acid).
Bismuth compounds in a nitric acid solution are readily decomposed by the electric current, but the deposited bismuth is not coherent. It comes down in shaggy tufts which are difficult to wash and easy to oxidise.
VOLUMETRIC ASSAY.
There are two methods which have been proposed; one based on the precipitation as chromate and the estimation of the chromic acid; and the other on the precipitation as oxalate and subsequent titration with permanganate of potash. These offer little advantage over the easy gravimetric determination.