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Recovery and transport of thorium(IV) through polymer inclusion membrane with D2EHPA from nitric acid solutions

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Abstract

Recovery and transport of thorium(IV) from HNO3 medium using a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) containing di (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) as the carrier, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as polymer were studied. Taguchi L-16 orthogonal array was used to evaluate the effects of the membrane’s carrier content, pH, strip phase type and concentration, and initial concentration of Th(IV) on the cation transport. Using a 45% (m/m) D2EHPA-55% (m/m) PVC PIM, Th(IV) is completely separated from a number of common metal cations. Studies on the transport kinetics and the stability of the membranes were also performed. The results showed that the PIM has excellent stability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Tehran University, P.O. Box: 11365-4563, Tehran, Iran

    H. R. Arabi & H. Abolghasemi

  2. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, P.O. Box: 14893-836, Tehran, Iran

    S. A. Milani & F. Zahakifar

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  1. H. R. Arabi
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  2. S. A. Milani
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  4. F. Zahakifar
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Arabi, H.R., Milani, S.A., Abolghasemi, H. et al. Recovery and transport of thorium(IV) through polymer inclusion membrane with D2EHPA from nitric acid solutions. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 653–665 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07555-1

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