Synergistic extraction and separation studies of uranium(VI)

Abstract

A method is described for the extractive separation and spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) from an aqueous solution of pH 5.0–7.0 using benzoylacetone (bzac) and pyridine (py) dissolved in toluene as extractants. The extracted species are UO2(bzac(2·2py. The method provides separation of uranium(VI) from lanthanum(III), samarium(III), neodymium(III), cerium(III) and thorium(IV). The method is precise, accurate, fast and selective.