Effect of Sulphate and Chloride Ions on the Solvent Extraction of Some Metal Ions with Liquid Cation Exchangers

Abstract

The extraction of the metal ions from sulphate and chloride solutions with Versatic Acid 911 and di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid in benzene was investigated in order to clarify the effect of sulphate and chloride ions on the extraction. Sulphate and chloride ions are not extracted into the organic phase, and they affect metal extraction only by forming the complexes with metal ions in the aqueous phase. The extent of the effect on metal extraction is determined by the kind of metal ions and anionic ligands, and the concentration of ligand ions. Therefore, the difference in extraction behaviour may be explained by the complexing ability of the various anionic ligands present in the aqueous phase. Formation constants of the complexes between metal ions and anionic ligands were computed from these distribution data.