Extraction elements of ytterbium(III) in metallic ore wastewater with combination of PAN microtube ultrafilter device and organic P-204

Abstract

Rare-earth metallic ore in Siping city had produced wastewater containing ytterbium, which has caused certain environmental pollution. In view of the low removal efficiency of ytterbium in wastewater, we developed a novel PAN microtube ultrafilter device with organic P-204 system (UF-OP). The UF-OP had organic P-204 system containing wastewater part with buffer solution acetic acid and enrichment part with nitric acid solution and organic P-204[Di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid] dissolved in gasoline. Many factors of ytterbium(III) extraction using UF-OP need to explore. The effects of hydrodynamic properties and UF system parameters on the UF-OP process for ytterbium(III) extraction were also studied. The experimental results show that the best extraction conditions of ytterbium(III) were obtained as that nitric acid concentration was 4.00 mol/L, organic P-204 concentration was 0.150 mol/L, and O/W was 0.5 in the enrichment part, and pH value was 4.80 in the wastewater part. Ionic strength of metallic ore wastewater had no obvious effect on ytterbium(III) extraction. When cinit of ytterbium(III) concentration was 1.48 × 10−4 mol/L, the extraction percentage of ytterbium(III) was up to 94.8% in 160 min. The study results would provide theoretical and technical support for the treatment of wastewater containing ytterbium in metallic ore.