Characterization of the Species Formed during the Extraction of Thorium Employing Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate and N,N-Dihexyl Octanamide as Extractants by Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF-MS) has been applied to identify and characterize the organic phase species formed during the extraction of thorium nitrate by 1.1 M tri- n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and N,N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) solutions in n-dodecane. The aqueous phase thorium concentrations (at 4 M HNO3) have been suitably chosen to get loaded organic phases with/without third-phase. The extracted species have been characterized for the first time using LDI-ToF-MS. The results show feasibility of the use of this technique for understanding the extraction mechanisms and third-phase formation behavior of different extractants. The different chemical species observed using this technique are consistent with those observed by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).