Separation and concentration of cobalt from ammoniacal solutions containing cobalt and nickel by emulsion liquid membranes using 5,7-dibromo-8-hydroxyquinoline (DBHQ)

The separation and concentration of cobalt from ammoniacal solutions containing nickel and cobalt by an emulsion liquid membranes (ELMs) using 5,7-dibromo-8-hydroxyquinoline as extractant has been presented. Membrane solution consists of a diluent (kerosene), a surfactant (Span 80), a modifier (tributylphosphate), and an extractant (DBHQ). Very dilute sulphuric solution containing EDTA as complexing agent, buffered at pH 5.0, has been used as a stripping solution. pH of ammoniacal feed solution containing cobalt and nickel was adjusted to 9.0 with hydrochloric acid. The important variables governing the permeation of cobalt have been studied. These variables are membrane composition, pH of the feed solution, cobalt and nickel concentrations of the feed solution, mixing speed, surfactant concentration, extractant concentration, EDTA concentration and pH of the stripping solution, and phase ratio. After the optimum conditions had been determined, it was possible to selectively extract 99.0% of cobalt from ammoniacal feed solution containing Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions. The separation factors of cobalt with respect to nickel, based on initial feed concentration, have experimentally found to be of as high as 247.5 for about equimolar Co–Ni feed solutions.