Assessment of extraction kinetics of separation of Sm (III) and Co (II) in the presence of lactic acid using DEHPA as an organic carrier

Abstract

ABSTRACT This work reports the kinetics and the mechanism of extraction and separation of Sm (III) and Co (II) from an aqueous chloride medium with lactic acid as a complexing agent using DEHPA in petrofin. The influence of stirring speed and temperature was investigated to learn about the extraction regime. The increase in stirring speed and interfacial area led to a rise in the extraction rate of Sm (III) and Co (II). The extraction rate is negligibly dependent on pH, which can be ascribed to the buffering nature of lactic acid present in the aqueous feed. The results clarified that the extraction regime is governed by diffusion with rate indicative reaction at the interface. The extraction mechanism involved in the process has been derived based on kinetic data. Low, stirring speed and low interfacial area are necessary for efficient separation of Sm (III) and Co (III), as evident from the kinetic studies.