Investigation and radiometric determination of saturated and unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic dicarboxylic acids

Investigations have been carried out on the precipitation of calcium salts of saturated and unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and of aromatic dicarboxylic acids. The optimum ethanol/water solvent ratio has been studied at which the sodium, ammonium or triethylammonium salts of the acids have a good solubility, whereas the calcium salts are poorly soluble and can be precipitated. Based on these investigations the radiometric determination of formic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, methacrylic acid, oleic acid, and o-, m- and p-phthalic acids has become possible. A linear correlation has been found between the solubilities of the calcium salts of o-, m- and p-phthalic acids and the dielectric constant of the solvent mixture. CaCl2 solution labelled with45CaCl2 was used for the titrations, with a solvent composition identical to that of the solution to be titrated. Radiometric titrations were carried out in 0.05M solutions for dicarboxylic acids, and in 0.1M solutions for monocarboxylic acids. For palmitic and stearic acids titrations were also carried out in the 0.01M concentration range. The equipment used for titrations was capable of detecting isotopes of soft β-radiation.