Solvent extraction behavior of Eu(III), Yb(III), and Lu(III) has been investigated by using thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) as extractant in the presence of 1,7-diaza-4,10,13-trioxacyclopentadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (DAPDA) and 1,10-diaza-4,7,13,16-tetraoxacyclooctadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (DACDA) as macrocyclic ionophores. DAPDA and DACDA were chosen in this work in view of their unique complexation toward lanthanides. It was observed that in the presence of DAPDA (L), Eu(III) extracted predominantly as ternary complex (Eu(L)(TTA)), whereas Yb(III) and Lu(III) were extracted as mixed, binary Ln(TTA)/sub 3/ and ternary (Ln(L)(TTA)) complexes. On the other hand, in the presence of DACDA, Eu(III) formed mixed binary and ternary complexes in the organic phase, whereas Yb(III) and Lu(III) formed predominantly binary complexes. In contrast to the extraction in the presence of DAPDA/DACDA, heavier lanthanides, i.e., Yb(III) and Lu(III), were extracted much less compared to lighter lanthanides, i.e., La(III) and Nd(III), in the presence of ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (EDDA), a structurally analogous noncyclic polyaminopolycarboyxlic acid.
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