Extraction and separation studies of zinc(II) and copper(II) with D2EHPA and PC-88A from perchlorate media

Abstract

The extraction behaviors of Zn(II) and Cu(II) from perchlorate media have been investigated using bis-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester, (PC-88A) in toluene. The extraction of Zn(II) was found to be quantitative in the pH range 2.5 to 3.0 and 3.0 to 4.0 using 1.0 x 10-1 moldm-3 D2EHPAand 1.0x10-2 mol dm-3 PC-88Ain toluene, respectively, while Cu(II) was extracted quantitatively in the pH range 6.0 to 8.0 and 5.5 to 7.0 with 1.0x10-2 mol dm-3 and 1.0 x 10-3 mol dm-3 D2EHPA and PC-88A in toluene, respectively. Zn(II) was stripped with 4.0 moldm-3 HCl, while Cu(II) with 2.0 moldm-3H2SO4 and 3.0 moldm-3 HNO3 from the organic phase containing D2EHPAand PC-88A respectively. The probable extracted species were ascertained by log D vs. log [HR] plot to be ZnR2.2HR and CuR2.2HR for both the reagents. These methods were used for the determination of Zn(II) and Cu(II) in real samples. The separation of Zn(II) and Cu(II) were carried out from each other and with associated metals.