Stoichiometric study of mercurous chloride by X-ray fluorescence

Mercurous chloride often contains small amounts of mercuric chloride. In order to measure this amount we make use of mercuric chloride's great solubility in ether, mercurous chloride being insoluble. After evaporation of ether then solution in water, mercuric ions are fixed on cation exchange paper previously treated by sodium hydroxide then silver nitrate to displace exchange equilibrium. A measurement by X ray fluorescence performed on L(alpha i) mercury line allows us to determine mercuric chloride amount. This method is suitable to reach accurately massic fraction of 10(-5). For mercurous chloride that we have synthetized from mercury and mercuric chloride, the mercuric chloride in excess is about 3 to 4. 10(-5).