Transport Study of Cu(II) Through Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane

Abstract

The transport of Cu(II) from aqueous solutions containing buffer media through hollow fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM) using di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) dissolved in kerosene as membrane phase and hydrochloric acid as striping phase was investigated. A set of factors were studied, including tube side velocity, shell side velocity, pH of the feed phase, Cu(II) concentration in the feed phase, buffer media concentration and D2EHPA concentration in the membrane phase. Experimental results indicate that the mass transfer coefficient increases with increasing both carrier concentration in the organic phase and flow rates on the tube side and shell side, and decreases with increasing initial Cu(II) concentration in the feed phase. With increasing pH value and acetate concentration in the feed phase, the mass transfer coefficient reaches a maximum value then decreases. The optimal operating conditions are obtained at pH value of 4.44 and 0.1 mol·L −1 acetic ion concentration in feed phase, and carrier volume fraction of around 10% in kerosene as organic phase. A mathematical model of the transport mechanism through HFSLM is developed. The modeled results agree well with the experimental ones.