Extraction of Copper(II) from Sulphate Aqueous Medium with N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthalideneaminoethyl)amine Polydentate Schiff Base in Aqueous Two-phase Micellar of Non-Ionic Surfactant

Abstract

Abstract The present paper outlines the use of the novel polydentate Schiff's base extractant, N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthalideneaminoethyl)amine (H2L), for copper(II) extraction in aqueous two-phase micellar of non-ionic surfactant from sulphate media. The extraction process is based on the formation of the hydrophobic complex of copper(II)-H2L, which is subsequently extracted into the non-ionic surfactant-rich phase of p-octylpolyethyleneglycolphenylether (Triton X-100) at a temperature above the cloud point temperature (CPT). The phase diagrams of the binary system, water-surfactant (Triton X-100), and of the ternary systems, water-surfactant-salt (Na2SO4), were examined. The effects of the main experimental parameters such as pH, extractant concentration and non-ionic surfactant concentration on the extraction process of copper(II) were studied. The extraction yield was found to be significantly depending on the aqueous solution pH. Copper(II) was extracted with H2L and Triton X-100 in the pH range of (3–12). From the equilibrium slope analysis method, it was suggested that the stoichiometry of the extracted complexes have a composition of 1:1 (Cu:H2L). The optimum conditions of the extraction of copper(II) have been established as the following: (1) 2 × 10−3 M extractant; (2) 5% (m/v) surfactant; (3) pH of 7.2; (4) 7% (m/v) Na2SO4 and (5) temperature of 65°C.