Barrier effect and coupled transport in the electrodialysis of metal complexonate solutions

The electrodialysis of an aqueous solution of an alkaline earth complex with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was studied in a wide range of current densities. The curve of the complexonate flow across an anionite membrane versus current density has three characteristic sections. The first section corresponds to a linear increase in the flow as a function of current density, the second to a decrease in the flow and decomposition of the complex (barrier effect), and the third to an increase in the complexonate flow due to the transport coupled with the flow of hydroxyl ions formed in the dissociation of water molecules at the interface of the solution and the anionite membrane. Conditions for complete separation of the singly and doubly charged cations were found.