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Solvent extraction of uranium from leach liquor using dibutyl carbitol: optimization of parameters by response surface methodology

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Abstract

In this research, the potency of uranium extraction by dibutyl carbitol solvent has been investigated. The cheapness of this solvent is advantageous. Response surface methodology was applied to design the experiments and analyze the results to evaluate the effects of four effective variables, i.e., nitric acid concentration, dibutyl carbitol concentration, temperature, and mixing time to determine optimal conditions. The optimal conditions of uranium extraction were obtained at nitric acid concentration 30%, dibutyl carbitol concentration 60%, and T = 20 °C. Under these conditions, uranium extraction was 50.12%. The synergistic extraction with a mixture of dibutyl carbitol and tributyl phosphate improved to 88.42%.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

    Iman Dehghan, Ali A. Gh. Khamseh & Ahmad Ghadiri

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  1. Iman Dehghan
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  2. Ali A. Gh. Khamseh
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  3. Ahmad Ghadiri
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Correspondence to Ali A. Gh. Khamseh.

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Dehghan, I., Khamseh, A.A.G. & Ghadiri, A. Solvent extraction of uranium from leach liquor using dibutyl carbitol: optimization of parameters by response surface methodology. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 333, 1243–1252 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-024-09356-2

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