Kinetic studies on the extraction of uranium(VI) from phosphoric acid medium by bulk liquid membrane containing di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid

To go through the first stage of industrial solvent extraction process in order to recover uranium from phosphate rocks by liquid membrane techniques, as a simple model, the kinetics of facilitated transport of uranium(VI) from a dilute phosphoric acid medium into more concentrated phosphoric acid media as a receiving phase through a bulk liquid membrane containing di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid as a carrier was studied. The influence of phosphoric acid concentration in the source and receiving phases, carrier concentration, type of solvent, stirring speed and temperature were investigated. The kinetic parameters (k _e, k _s, t _max, J _max) were calculated for the interface reactions assuming two consecutive, irreversible first-order reactions. The activation energy values were calculated as 29.40 and 19.51 kJ mol^?1 for extraction and stripping, respectively. The values of calculated activation energy indicated that both the extraction and stripping processes were controlled by mixed regime (both kinetic and diffusion). In addition, the influence of adding trioctyl-phosphine oxide into the membrane phase as a synergic agent on the transport kinetics was determined.     

Extraction of Arsenic(V) from Water Using Emulsion Liquid Membrane

In this article, the extraction of arsenic(V) from water by means of emulsion liquid membrane is investigated. The influence of operating factors such as stirring speed, concentration of sulfuric acid in the external aqueous phase, concentration of sodium sulfate in internal stripping phase, and concentration of carrier in the membrane phase on the extraction efficiency are investigated and their optimum values, which provide the maximum recovery of arsenic, are determined. Taguchi experimental design is used in order to reduce the number of experiments. The optimum amounts for the extraction of arsenic from water, based on the results, are: stirring speed, 500 rpm; concentration of sulfuric acid in the feed, 1.5 g mol/lit; concentration of reagent in internal phase, 1.5 g mol/lit; and concentration of carrier in 3 ml kerosene which is added to the membrane phase, 0.1 g mol/lit.     

Removal of uranium from sulfate leach liquor of salcrete deposits using tri-n-octyl amine

A uranyl sulfate leach liquor obtained by uranium leaching of a technological sample of salcrete deposits of Gabal Qatrani ore was subjected to uranium extraction using the liquid–liquid technique. Uranium was effectively extracted from sulfate leach liquor by [(10 %) tri-n-octylamine (TOA)] dissolved in xylene as a diluent. The extraction efficiency was markedly enhanced as the concentration of TOA increases from 1 to 10 %. The relevant factors controlling the extraction process of uranium using tri-n-octylamine were studied. These factors include the effect of diluents used, TOA concentration, contact time, settling time and phase ratio (O/A) v/v. The optimum extraction conditions were chosen. Stripping of uranium from the loaded TOA has been carried out using 5 % Na₂CO₃ as an effective stripping agent. More than 97 % of uranium was extracted by 10 % TOA, at contact time 10 min, settling time 5 min, phase ratio (V_O/V_A) 1/1 and at room temperature. The feasibility of using the TOA for preconcentration-separation of uranium was assessed by stripping studies. The loaded uranium onto TOA has been stripped by 100 % when using 5 % Na₂CO₃ as an efficient eluting agent at 15 min contact time, 5 min settling time and phase ratio (O/A) 2/1.     

Effect of oxidation-reduction on the extraction of uranium from wet phosphoric acid by DEHPA/TOPO

Uranium is recovered from wet phosphoric acid by DEHPA/TOPO in kerosene. Uranium is present in wet phosphoric acid in the tetravalent and hexavalent states but DEHPA/TOPO extracts uranium in the hexavalent state only. The ratio of U⁴⁺/U⁶⁺ depends on several factors such as the origin of the phosphate rock, the method of preparation of phosphoric acid and the presence of other impurities. Therefore it is important to oxidize the wet acid to convert all uranium to U⁶⁺ before extraction. Uranium is stripped from the solvent by a reverse process where a concentrated phosphoric acid is used under reducing conditions. This paper studies the oxidation of wet phosphoric acid from Homs plant/Syria by H₂O₂ oxidant and the effect of oxidation on extraction coefficientK. It also studies the reduction by iron and its effect on back extraction of uranium from the solvent to phosphoric acid.     

The Role of Internal Droplet Size on Emulsion Stability and the Extraction Performance of Kraft Lignin Removal from Pulping Wastewater in Emulsion Liquid Membrane Process

It has been discovered that the size of internal droplets in primary emulsion determines emulsion dispersion and stability in emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) process for removal of lignin from pulping wastewater. Generally, primary emulsion contains kerosene, Aliquat 336, sodium bicarbonate, as well as Span 80 as diluent, carrier, internal phase, and surfactant, respectively. Hence, this study had looked into the parameters, including concentration of surfactant, carrier, and stripping agent; emulsification speed and time; as well as agitation speed and time. As a result, the diameter of the smallest droplets (1.4 µm) was formed with maximum lignin extraction (95%), minimum swelling (5%) at 3% (w/v) surfactant concentration, 12,000 rpm of emulsification within 5 minutes, 0.01 M of Aliquat 336, 0.1 M of NaHCO_3, and 250 rpm of extraction within 10 minutes.     

Solvent extraction for cleaning phosphoric acid in fertilizer production

Phosphorites of sedimentary origin utilized in manufacturing of fertilizer contain uranium, thorium and products of their radioactive decay, as well as health-endangering compounds of cadmium, arsenic and fluorides. Some of them may transit into the phosphoric acid, when breaking down the phosphorites with sulphuric, acid, and then into the fertilizer. The purpose of the phosphoric acid cleaning is its decontamination from uranium and thorium as well as the removal of toxic cadmium. The above task can be achieved by solvent extraction. The paper presents the results of the extraction of uranium and cadmium from phosphoric acid using polyalkyl phosphasene and trioctyl amine, respectively. The extraction kinetics, equilibrium distribution of uranium and cadmium within the phases, the effect of extractant concentrations and temperature of the process is also discussed. The technological schemes for cleaning phosphoric acid from uranium and cadmium are given.     

Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Sulfuric Acid from Aqueous Sulfate Waste Solution using Alamine 336/Kerosene/TBP Solvent

Generally the metallurgical industries generate huge amounts of harmful environmental wastes, which may be solids, liquids, or gases in their nature. The present study aims to recovery sulfuric acid (227 g/l) from wastes generated during hydrometallurgical digestion of titanium ores with sulfuric acid for TiO₂ production. For this purpose Alamine 336/kerosene solvent was used. Various extraction parameters as Alamine 336 concentration, shaking time, type of diluent, and O/A phase ratio were studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, Mc-Cabe Thiele diagram results indicated that, after four extraction stages the acid concentration in aqueous phase was reduced from the initial value of 227 g/l to about 17 g/l. Stripping of the loaded sulfuric acid from the organic phase was done with warm water (60°C). Stripping parameters as water temperature, stripping time, and A/O phase ratio were studied. Under the stripping the loaded acid concentration in organic phase was reduced from 210 to 6 g/l which matched theoretically by McCabe Thiele diagram.     

Liquid–liquid extraction of uranium from Egyptian phosphoric acid using a synergistic D2EHPA–DBBP mixture

Extraction of uranium from Egyptian phosphoric acid with synergistic mixture of di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and di-butyl butyl phosphonate (DBBP) is reported in this paper. The influence of various factors such as D2EHPA concentration, DBBP concentration, phosphoric acid concentration, contact time, aqueous: organic phase’s ratio (aq:org) and temperature on the degree of extraction has been established. The data on the effect of temperature on the extraction showed that the enthalpy change is −23.12 kJ/mol. Uranium extracted by D2EHPA–DBBP is further subjected to a second cycle of extraction and scrubbing impurities. The uranium is finally converted to a high purity UO₃ product using precipitation with hydrogen peroxide and heat treatment at 375 °C.     

Comparative studies on co-extraction of uranium(VI) and different mineral acid from aqueous feed solutions using TBP,TOPO and TOA

Equilibrium and kinetics of co-extraction of hexavalent uranium and mineral acids from aqueous solutions into a hydrocarbon phase (paraffin) using tri n-butyl phosphate (TBP), tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) and tri-n-octyl amine (TOA) has been studied. Relative rates of extraction of uranium(VI) and mineral acid by different complexing ligands were measured simultaneously using bulk-liquid membrane system. Acid extraction by complexing ligands was found to be significant. Wherever there was a possibility of the formation of the third phase, isodecanol was used as an organic phase modifier. Study revealed that isodecanol promotes acid extraction and substantially reduces distribution coefficient of U(VI) into the hydrocarbon phase. The rate of acid extraction by different ligand was in the order of TOPO > TOA > TBP–isodecanol > TBP, whereas the rate of extraction of uranium(VI) was in the order TOPO > TOA > TBP > TBP–isodecanol. A kinetic model was developed to predict concentration of acid and U(VI) in the feed, organic and the strip phase during extraction. The mass transfer coefficients for acid and metal were determined by fitting the model to the observed concentration–time data.     

Uranium removal from nitric acid raffinate solution by solvent immobilized PVC cement

The present work deals with uranium removal from a nitric acid raffinate (waste) solution using prepared solvent (tri-butyl phosphate, TBP) immobilizing PVC cement (SIC) as a suitable adsorbent. The studied relevant factors affecting uranium adsorption onto SIC adsorbent involved; contact time, solution molarity, initial uranium concentration and temperature. The obtained adsorption isotherm of uranium onto the SIC adsorbent was fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkviech (D–R) adsorption models. The results showed that the obtained equilibrium data fitted well the Langmuir isotherm. Additionally, it was found that the adsorption process obeys the pseudo second-order kinetic model. On the other hand, the calculated theoretical capacity of our prepared SIC adsorbent reached about 17 g U/kg SIC. Uranium adsorption from the studied raffinate solution was carried out applying the attained optimum conditions. The obtained data showed that 58.4 mg U/5 g SIC were adsorbed. However, using of 2 M HNO₃ solution as an eluent, 93 (54.3 mg U) from the adsorbed amount were eluted.     

Three-Phase Solvent Bar Microextraction Combined with HPLC for Extraction and Determination of Plasma Protein Binding of Bisoprolol

A three-phase solvent bar microextraction (TPSBME) technique combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)?Cfluorescence detection was evaluated for the quantitative determination of plasma protein binding of bisoprolol. Bisoprolol was extracted from a 5.6-mL basified plasma sample (donor phase) into the organic solvent (n-octanol) impregnated in the pores of a hollow fiber and then extracted into an acidic solution (acceptor phase) inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. Metoprolol was used as the internal standard. Several parameters influencing the efficiency of the method were investigated and optimized including organic solvent (n-butanol, n-octanol, dibutyl phthalate, dihexyl ether), stirring rate (100?C1,000 rpm), extraction time (5?C35 min), extraction temperature (15?C45 °C), concentration of the donor phase (0.1?C2 M NaOH) and the acceptor phase (0.5?C5 M formic acid), salt concentration (2.5?C10%, w/v). Under the optimal condition, extraction recoveries from plasma samples were above 61.4% for bisoprolol. The calibration curves were obtained in the range of 10?C100 ng mL^?1 with reasonable linearity (r > 0.994). The method was successfully applied to determine the plasma protein binding rate of bisoprolol.     

Separation and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric (ICP-OES) determination of trace impurities in nuclear grade uranium oxide

A simple and rapid inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric method for the determination of trace level impurities like REEs, Y, Cd, Co, V, Mg, B, Ca, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn and Al in uranium oxide samples is described. The method involves solvent extraction separation of uranium from 6 M HNO₃ acid medium using di (2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid in toluene, which selectively separates uranium leaving behind the trace impurities in the aqueous media, for quantification by ICP-OES. The method has been applied to few synthetic samples and five certified reference U₃O₈ standards. The results are compared with other methods such as TBP-TOPO-CCl₄ and 1,2 diaminocyclohexane N,N,N′,N′-tetra acetic acid (CyDTA)–ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH) separation techniques. Different experimental parameters like contact time, acidity, aqueous to organic ratio etc., are optimized for better and accurate results. The method is simple, rapid, accurate and precise for all the studied elements, showing a relative standard deviation of 1.5–12.0% at trace levels studied (5.5–12% at 0.2 μg/mL and 1.5–6.0% at 0.5 μg/mL), on the synthetic samples prepared from high purity oxides.     

Kinetic study of uranium residue dissolution in ammonium carbonate media

The purpose of this study was to determine the kinetics of the dissolution of a uranium residue in ammonium carbonate media. The residue is generated in the production of medical isotopes. The effects of parameters, such as varying peroxide and carbonate concentrations, dissolution time as well as temperature on the extraction rate have been separately studied. Results indicate complete dissolution of the residue at 60 °C, after 30 min, in ammonium carbonate solution enriched with hydrogen peroxide. The yield and rate of uranium extraction were found to increase as a function of both temperature, in the range of 25–60 °C, and hydrogen peroxide concentration. The extraction process was governed by chemical reaction as the activation energy was found to be 45.5 kJ/mol. The order of reaction with respect to uranium concentration was found to be approximately first order.     

The uranium(VI) extraction mechanism of D2EHPA-TOPO from a wet process phosphoric acid

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the solvent extraction of uranium from technical grade phosphoric acid using industrially available extractants as D2EHPA and TOPO diluted in technical grade kerosene. Preliminary tests showed that, the effect of different parameters such as uranium oxidation stage, temperature and the molar ratio of D2EHPA/TOPO on the uranium recovery was in good agreement with those of previous investigations. However, a detailed investigation into the effect of phosphoric acid concentration, organic concentration and acid/organic phase ratios suggested that the mechanism of D2EHPA/TOPO synergism was rather complex and it presented a different character depending on the acid concentration.     

Extraction of sulfuric acid with TOPO

A study on solvent extraction of sulfuric acid by tri-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) in n-heptane has been made. Extraction coefficients of H₂SO₄ as a function of H₂SO₄ concentration in aqueous phase, and extractant concentrations in organic phase have been studied. The composition of extracted species, equilibrium constants of extraction reaction have been evaluated. These results are important for interpreting extraction equilibrium data of uranium(VI) or other metal ions with TOPO in sulfuric acid media.     

Extractive separation of Th(IV), U(VI), Ti(IV), La(III) and Fe(III) from Zarigan ore

In this study, the effects of various extraction parameters such as extractant types (Cyanex302, Cyanex272, TBP), acid type (nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric) and their concentrations were studied on the thorium separation efficiency from uranium(VI), titanium(IV), lanthanum(III), iron(III) using Taguchi^??s method. Results showed that, all these variables had significant effects on the selective thorium separation. The optimum separations of thorium from uranium, titanium and iron were achieved by Cyanex302. The aqueous solutions of 0.01 and 1 M nitric acid were found as the best aqueous conditions for separating of thorium from titanium (or iron) and uranium, respectively. The combination of 0.01 M nitric acid and Cyanex272 were found that to be the optimum conditions for the selective separation of thorium from lanthanum. The results also showed that TBP could selectively extract all studied elements into organic phase leaving thorium behind in the aqueous phase. Detailed experiments showed that 0.5 M HNO₃ is the optimum acid concentration for separating of thorium from other elements with acidic extractants such as Cyanex272 and Cyanex302. The two-stage process containing TBP-Cyanex302 was proposed for separation thorium and uranium from Zarigan ore leachate.     

Investigation of Uranium(VI) Extraction Mechanisms from Phosphoric and Sulfuric Media by 31P-NMR

Uranium extraction using DEHCNPB (butyl-1-[N,N-bis(2-ethylhexyl)carbamoyl]nonyl phosphonic acid, a bifunctional cationic extractant) has been studied to better understand mechanism differences depending on the original acidic solution (phosphoric or sulfuric). Solvent extraction batch experiments were carried out and the organic phases were probed using ³¹P-NMR. This technique enabled to demonstrate that phosphoric acid is poorly extracted by DEHCNPB ([H₃PO₄]_org < 2mM), using direct quantification in the organic phase by ³¹P-NMR spectra integration. Moreover, in the presence of uranium in the initial phosphoric acid solution, uranyl extraction by DEHCNPB competes with H₃PO₄ extraction.Average stoichiometries of U(VI)-DEHCNPB complexes in organic phases were also determined using slope analysis on uranium distribution data. Uranium seems to be extracted from a phosphoric medium by two extractant molecules, whereas more than three DEHCNPB on average would be necessary to extract uranium from a sulfuric medium. Thus, uranium is extracted according to different mechanisms depending on the nature of the initial solution.     

Precipitation and purification of uranium from rock phosphate

This study was carried-out to leach uranium from rock phosphate using sulphuric acid in the presence of potassium chlorate as an oxidant and to investigate the relative purity of different forms of yellow cakes produced with ammonia, magnesia and sodium hydroxide as precipitants, as well as purification of the products with TBP and matching its impurity levels with specifications of the commercial products. Alpha-particle spectrometry was used for determination of activity concentration of uranium isotopes in rock phosphate, resulting phosphoric acid, and in different forms of the yellow cake. Likewise, atomic absorption spectroscopy was used for determination of impurities. On the average, the equivalent mass concentration of uranium was 119.38 ± 79.66 ppm (rock phosphate) and 57.85 ± 20.46 ppm (phosphoric acid) with corresponding low percent of dissolution (48 %) which is considered low. The isotopic ratio (²³⁴U:²³⁸U) in all stages of hydrometallurgical process was not much different from unity indicating lack of fractionation. Upon comparing the levels of impurities in different form of crude yellow cakes, it was found that the lowest levels were measured in hydrated trioxide (UO₃·xH₂O). This implies that saturated magnesia is least aggressive relative to other precipitants and gives relatively pure crude cake. Therefore, it was used as an index to judge the relative purity of other forms of yellow cakes by taking the respective elemental ratios. The levels of impurities (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb) in the purified yellow cake were found comparable with those specified for commercial products.     

Uranium determination in phosphoric acid solutions

In order to determine uranium from raw phosphoric acid solutions, resulted by the sulphuric acid attack of phosphate rocks and the strip solutions of the solvent extraction process for uranium recovery, two classes of analytical methods were established: one for low uranium content in phosphoric acid, and the other for higher uranium concentration in the same medium. The study was based on specific methods, therefore interference probability with other impurities in phosphoric acid medium is low. In the first class, X-ray fluorescence and spectrophotocolorimetric methods were used. X-ray fluorescence was applied on direct raw phosphoric acid solution and raffinate. The last one was associated with solvent extraction [di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate + triocylphosphine oxide] on the U(IV)-Arsenazo III complex in strip. The methods of the second class, were used for strip uranium concentrated solutions: X-ray fluorescence isotopic dilution and mass spectrometry, spectrophotocolorimetry and activation analysis associated with gamma-spectrometry. Here spectrophotocolorimetry involves two methods. The first one is based on the U(IV)-Arsenazo III complex and the other on direct U(IV)—phosphoric acid solutions measurements. A good agreement was obtained in each case for all comparative measurements involving various methods.     

Direct uranium extraction from dihydrate and hemi-dihydrate wet process phosphoric acids by liquid emulsion membrane

A new liquid emulsion membrane (LEM) process for uranium extraction from either dihydrate 28-30% P₂O₅ (DH) or hemi-dihydrate 42-45% P₂O₅ (HDH) wet process phosphoric acid is proposed. In this process, the organic component of the LEM is composed of a synergistic mixture of 0.1M di-2-ethyl hexyl phosphoric acid (DEHPA) and 0.025M trioctyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) with 4% Span 80. The internal or the strip acid phase is composed of 0.5M citric acid. The prepared LEM was proved to be stable in 42-45% P₂O₅ acid concentration range and can, therefore, be applied to the phosphoric acid produced by the hemi-dihydrate process. After breakdown of the loaded emulsion, the uranyl citrate in the internal strip phase is separated by adding methanol followed by its calcination to the orange oxide. Most of the reagents used are recycled. The proposed process is characterized by simplicity, practically closed operation cycle in addition to lower capital and operating costs.