Extraction of Th(IV) metal ions with trioctylphosphine oxide dissolved in kerosene using multi-dropped liquid membrane technique

Abstract

In the present work, the experimental investigation and modeling of Th(IV) metal ions recovery have been carried out by using the recycling mode of the multi-dropped liquid membrane (MDLM) technique. Experiments were done at operational conditions: studies of the MDLM system with single and double reactor column (continuous system). The optimum condition for the extraction of Th(IV) was a 0.50 M HNO3 solution as donor phase, 0.10 molL-1 TOPO as a carrier, and 0.10 M H2SO4 as acceptor phase. The transport percentage of Th(IV) was increased up to >98% and the calculated activation energy which is 6.52 kcalmol-1 indicated that the process was diffusion controlled by Th(IV) ions. The reuptake efficiencies of the extraction of Th(IV) ions in the presence of Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Pb(II) separately under optimized experimental conditions were investigated. Therefore, the MDLM system might be useful for the design and the optimization of the recovery of Th(IV) in the recycling mode.