Bulk Liquid Membrane Transport of Hg(II) by a Crown Ether Derivative

Abstract

A kinetic study of Hg(II) transport from an aqueous donor solution into an aqueous acceptor solution through a liquid membrane containing 4′‐nitrobenzo [15‐cown‐5] 1 as a carrier was studied. The kinetic parameters (k1, k2, Rm max, tmax , Jd max, Ja max) for the transport were investigated in terms of the effect of temperature, stirring rate, and carrier concentration. The kinetics of transport was analyzed in the formalism of two consecutive irreversible first‐order reactions. The membrane entrance rate, and exit rate constants were increased with increasing the temperature stirring rate, and carrier concentration. The activation energy values are calculated as 20.33±2.10 and 115.90±10.5 kj mol−1 for extraction and reextraction, respectively. The values of calculated activation energy indicate that the process is diffusionally controlled by species.