Surfactant-assisted transport of lead ion through a bulk liquid membrane containing dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6: efficient removal of lead from blood serum and sea water

The selective and efficient surfactant assisted transport of Pb²⁺ ions using a bulk liquid membrane composed of dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6, as a highly selective carrier, in chloroform solution is reported. In the presence of 6.0 × 10^?2 M P₂O₇ ^4? ions and 10^?3 M sodium dodecylsulfate, as suitable stripping agent and membrane/receiving phase interface modifier, respectively, in the receiving phase and 2.4 × 10^?3 M picric acid, as a counter ion in the source phase, the amount of lead transported across the liquid membrane after 5 h is 100.0 ± 1.1. The designed transport system was successfully applied to the removal of lead from sea water and blood serum samples.