ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Preparation of polymer inclusion membrane including mixture of D2EHPA and Cyanex272 for the extraction of Eu from nitrate media

Parisa Zaheri and Hamid Ghassabzadeh

Materials and Nuclear Fuel Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

E-mail: parisazaheri@aeoi.org.ir

Abstract: A polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) containing mixture of D2EHPA and Cyanex272 as the extractant and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (POE) as the plasticizer shows potential for the transport of Europium from nitrate media. The synergistic effect of these extractants intensified Eu transport through PIM. The effects of extractant and plasticizer concentration in the membrane, feed phase pH, stripping agent concentration, and membrane thickness were investigated. Up to 97.5% of Eu was extracted using a PIM consisting of 35.16 wt% (D2EHPA + Cyanex272), 18.52 wt% POE and 46.31 wt% PVC. An almost complete back-extraction of the Eu extracted from this membrane was achieved using 1M HNO₃ as a stripping phase. The prepared PIM showed good stability for transport of Eu.

Keywords: Polymer inclusion membrane; Cyanex272; D2EHPA; Europium; Synergistic effect

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-017-0155-2

Chemical Papers 71 (9) 1623–1631 (2017)