Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Study purification and transfer of uranyl from chloride medium using bulk liquid membrane containing crown ether DB18C6 as a carrier

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

F. Khanramaki
F. Zahakifar
E. Iravani

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran - Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1579
Abstract
This study investigates uranium recovery from a chloride medium using a bulk liquid membrane containing the crown ether DB18C6. The effects of pH and chloride concentration in the donor phase, diluent type and carrier concentration in the liquid membrane phase, and the type and concentration of the acceptor phase, along with transport kinetics, were examined. Results indicated that increasing the crown ether concentration in the liquid membrane phase initially enhanced ion transfer. However, beyond a certain point, further increases in crown ether concentration reduced ion transfer due to increased viscosity. While diluents alone could not transfer ions, the type of diluent influenced the transfer process. Optimal uranyl ion transfer was achieved with a donor phase containing 2 M potassium chloride at pH 4. The type and concentration of the mineral acid in the acceptor phase significantly affected the transfer efficiency, with 0.1 M hydrochloric acid facilitating the maximum transfer of uranyl ions. The study of transfer kinetics revealed that the rate-controlling step is the release of uranyl ions from the liquid membrane into the acceptor phase. Under optimal conditions, selective transfer of uranyl ions was achieved in the presence of molybdenum, niobium, titanium, vanadium, and tungsten. The uranium transfer rate from the donor to the receiving phase exceeded 91%.

Highlights

  1. Todd T.A, Law J.D, Herbst R.S, Lumetta G.J, Moyer B.A. Treatment of radioactive wastes using liquid-liquid extraction technologies-fears, facts, and issues. Waste Management. 2000.

 

  1. Kumar J.R, Kim J.S, Lee J.Y, Yoon H.S. A brief review on solvent extraction of uranium from acidic solutions. Separation & Purification Reviews. 2011;40(2):77-125.

 

  1. Nasab M.E. Solvent extraction separation of uranium (VI) and thorium (IV) with neutral organophosphorus and amine ligands. Fuel. 2014;116:595-600.

 

  1. Yousif E.H. Extraction and purification of yellow cake. 2006.

 

  1. Radhika S, Kumar B.N, Kantam M.L, Reddy B.R. Liquid–liquid extraction and separation possibilities of heavy and light rare-earths from phosphoric acid solutions with acidic organophosphorus reagents. Separation and Purification Technology. 2010;75(3):295-302.

 

  1. Xie F, Zhang T.A, Dreisinger D, Doyle F. A critical review on solvent extraction of rare earths from aqueous solutions. Minerals Engineering. 2014;56:10-28.

 

  1. Havlík T. Hydrometallurgy: Principles and applications. 2014:Elsevier.

 

  1. Habashi F. A short history of hydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy. 2005;79(1-2):15-22.

 

  1. Singh H, Gupta C. Solvent extraction in production and processing of uranium and thorium. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metullargy Review. 2000;21(1-5):307-349.

 

  1. Pabby A.K, Rizvi S.S, Requena A.M.S. Handbook of membrane separations: chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and biotechnological applications. 2008:CRC Press.

 

  1. Zahakifar F, Charkhi A, Torab-Mostaedi M, Davarkhah R. Kinetic study of uranium transport via a bulk liquid membrane containing Alamine 336 as a carrier. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 2018;316(1):247-255.

 

  1. Zahakifar F, Charkhi A, Torab-Mostaedi M, Davarkhah R. Performance evaluation of hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane for extraction of uranium (VI) from acidic sulfate solution. Radiochimica Acta. 2018;106(3):181-189.

 

  1. Sastre A.M, Kumar A, Shukla J.P, Singh R.K. Improved techniques in liquid membrane separations: an overview. Separation and Purification Methods. 1998;27(2):213-298.

 

  1. Sengupta A, Basu R, Sirkar K. Separation of solutes from aqueous solutions by contained liquid membranes. AIChE Journal. 1988;34(10):1698-1708.

 

  1. Ramkumar J, Nayak S, Maiti B. Transport of uranyl ion across a bulk liquid membrane using calixarene and synergistic agents as carriers. Journal of Membrane Science. 2002;196(2):203-210.

 

  1. Agrawal Y.K, Shrivastav P, Menon S.K. Solvent extraction, separation of uranium (VI) with crown ether. Separation and Purification Technology. 2000;20(2-3):177-183.

 

  1. Tachibana Y, Kalak T, Tanaka M. Chromatographic Purification of Lithium, Vanadium, and Uranium from Seawater Using Organic Composite Adsorbents Composed of Benzo-18-Crown-6 and Benzo-15-Crown-5 Embedded in Highly Porous Silica Beads. ACS Omega. 2022;7(31):27410-27421.

 

  1. Deshmukh S.K, Khopkar S.M. Crown Ethers, Cryptands and Calixarene in the Solvent Extraction Separation of Elements. GP GLOBALIZE Research Journal of Chemistry. 2021;93.

 

  1. Reddy M, Meera R. Crown ether as size selective synergist in the solvent extraction of thorium (IV) and uranium (VI) with 3-phenyl-4-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-5-isoxazolone. Radiochimica Acta. 2001;89(7):453-460.

 

  1. Takeda Y, Taguchi R, Katsuta S. Study on solute–solvent and solute–solute interactions for the dibenzo-24-crown-8-alkali metal picrate extraction system. Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2004;115(2-3): 139-147.

 

  1. Ramkumar J, Maiti B, Mathur P.K, DHOLE K. Crown ethers as carriers for the transport of anionic thiocyanate complex of uranyl ion across a bulk liquid membrane. Separation Science and Technology. 2000;35(15):2535-2541.

 

  1. Zhang W, Liu J, Ren Z, Wang S, Du C, Ma J. Kinetic study of chromium (VI) facilitated transport through a bulk liquid membrane using tri-n-butyl phosphate as carrier. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2009;150(1):83-89.

 

  1. Zaharia I, Aboul-Enein H.Y, Diaconu I, Ruse E, Bunaciu A.A, Nechifor G. Facilitated transport of

5-aminosalicylic acid through bulk liquid membrane. Journal of the Iranian Chemical Society. 2013;10(6):1129-1136.

 

  1. Nesterov S.V. Crown ethers in radiochemistry. Advances and Prospects. Russian Chemical Reviews. 2000;69(9):769-782.

 

  1. Yoshio M, Noguchi H. Crown ethers for chemical analysis: A Review. Analytical Letters. 1982;15(15):1197-1276.

 

  1. Shamsipur M, Davarkhah R, Khanchi A.R. Facilitated transport of uranium (VI) across a bulk liquid membrane containing thenoyltrifluoroacetone in the presence of crown ethers as synergistic agents. Separation and Purification Technology. 2010;71(1):63-69.

 

  1. Nguyen T.T.N, Lee M.S. Application of the data on dielectric constant and viscosity of binary mixtures to the selection of synergistic solvent extraction-binary mixtures of Cyanex and tertiary amine (TEHA). Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2019;289:111112.

 

  1. Milani S, Zahakifar F. Stoichiometry and thermodynamics of cerium (IV) solvent extraction from sulfuric acid solutions by CYANEX 301. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering. 2022;39(2):553-560.

Keywords

Separation
Uranium
Bulk liquid membrane
Crown ether
Chloride medium
  1. Todd T.A, Law J.D, Herbst R.S, Lumetta G.J, Moyer B.A. Treatment of radioactive wastes using liquid-liquid extraction technologies-fears, facts, and issues. Waste Management. 2000.

 

  1. Kumar J.R, Kim J.S, Lee J.Y, Yoon H.S. A brief review on solvent extraction of uranium from acidic solutions. Separation & Purification Reviews. 2011;40(2):77-125.

 

  1. Nasab M.E. Solvent extraction separation of uranium (VI) and thorium (IV) with neutral organophosphorus and amine ligands. Fuel. 2014;116:595-600.

 

  1. Yousif E.H. Extraction and purification of yellow cake. 2006.

 

  1. Radhika S, Kumar B.N, Kantam M.L, Reddy B.R. Liquid–liquid extraction and separation possibilities of heavy and light rare-earths from phosphoric acid solutions with acidic organophosphorus reagents. Separation and Purification Technology. 2010;75(3):295-302.

 

  1. Xie F, Zhang T.A, Dreisinger D, Doyle F. A critical review on solvent extraction of rare earths from aqueous solutions. Minerals Engineering. 2014;56:10-28.

 

  1. Havlík T. Hydrometallurgy: Principles and applications. 2014:Elsevier.

 

  1. Habashi F. A short history of hydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy. 2005;79(1-2):15-22.

 

  1. Singh H, Gupta C. Solvent extraction in production and processing of uranium and thorium. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metullargy Review. 2000;21(1-5):307-349.

 

  1. Pabby A.K, Rizvi S.S, Requena A.M.S. Handbook of membrane separations: chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and biotechnological applications. 2008:CRC Press.

 

  1. Zahakifar F, Charkhi A, Torab-Mostaedi M, Davarkhah R. Kinetic study of uranium transport via a bulk liquid membrane containing Alamine 336 as a carrier. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 2018;316(1):247-255.

 

  1. Zahakifar F, Charkhi A, Torab-Mostaedi M, Davarkhah R. Performance evaluation of hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane for extraction of uranium (VI) from acidic sulfate solution. Radiochimica Acta. 2018;106(3):181-189.

 

  1. Sastre A.M, Kumar A, Shukla J.P, Singh R.K. Improved techniques in liquid membrane separations: an overview. Separation and Purification Methods. 1998;27(2):213-298.

 

  1. Sengupta A, Basu R, Sirkar K. Separation of solutes from aqueous solutions by contained liquid membranes. AIChE Journal. 1988;34(10):1698-1708.

 

  1. Ramkumar J, Nayak S, Maiti B. Transport of uranyl ion across a bulk liquid membrane using calixarene and synergistic agents as carriers. Journal of Membrane Science. 2002;196(2):203-210.

 

  1. Agrawal Y.K, Shrivastav P, Menon S.K. Solvent extraction, separation of uranium (VI) with crown ether. Separation and Purification Technology. 2000;20(2-3):177-183.

 

  1. Tachibana Y, Kalak T, Tanaka M. Chromatographic Purification of Lithium, Vanadium, and Uranium from Seawater Using Organic Composite Adsorbents Composed of Benzo-18-Crown-6 and Benzo-15-Crown-5 Embedded in Highly Porous Silica Beads. ACS Omega. 2022;7(31):27410-27421.

 

  1. Deshmukh S.K, Khopkar S.M. Crown Ethers, Cryptands and Calixarene in the Solvent Extraction Separation of Elements. GP GLOBALIZE Research Journal of Chemistry. 2021;93.

 

  1. Reddy M, Meera R. Crown ether as size selective synergist in the solvent extraction of thorium (IV) and uranium (VI) with 3-phenyl-4-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-5-isoxazolone. Radiochimica Acta. 2001;89(7):453-460.

 

  1. Takeda Y, Taguchi R, Katsuta S. Study on solute–solvent and solute–solute interactions for the dibenzo-24-crown-8-alkali metal picrate extraction system. Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2004;115(2-3): 139-147.

 

  1. Ramkumar J, Maiti B, Mathur P.K, DHOLE K. Crown ethers as carriers for the transport of anionic thiocyanate complex of uranyl ion across a bulk liquid membrane. Separation Science and Technology. 2000;35(15):2535-2541.

 

  1. Zhang W, Liu J, Ren Z, Wang S, Du C, Ma J. Kinetic study of chromium (VI) facilitated transport through a bulk liquid membrane using tri-n-butyl phosphate as carrier. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2009;150(1):83-89.

 

  1. Zaharia I, Aboul-Enein H.Y, Diaconu I, Ruse E, Bunaciu A.A, Nechifor G. Facilitated transport of

5-aminosalicylic acid through bulk liquid membrane. Journal of the Iranian Chemical Society. 2013;10(6):1129-1136.

 

  1. Nesterov S.V. Crown ethers in radiochemistry. Advances and Prospects. Russian Chemical Reviews. 2000;69(9):769-782.

 

  1. Yoshio M, Noguchi H. Crown ethers for chemical analysis: A Review. Analytical Letters. 1982;15(15):1197-1276.

 

  1. Shamsipur M, Davarkhah R, Khanchi A.R. Facilitated transport of uranium (VI) across a bulk liquid membrane containing thenoyltrifluoroacetone in the presence of crown ethers as synergistic agents. Separation and Purification Technology. 2010;71(1):63-69.

 

  1. Nguyen T.T.N, Lee M.S. Application of the data on dielectric constant and viscosity of binary mixtures to the selection of synergistic solvent extraction-binary mixtures of Cyanex and tertiary amine (TEHA). Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2019;289:111112.

 

  1. Milani S, Zahakifar F. Stoichiometry and thermodynamics of cerium (IV) solvent extraction from sulfuric acid solutions by CYANEX 301. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering. 2022;39(2):553-560.

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