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

Al(III) and Cu(II) simultaneous foam separation: Physicochemical problems

Bożenna Kawalec-Pietrenko and Piotr Rybarczyk

Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Chemical Faculty, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland

E-mail: kawalec@chem.pg.gda.pl

Abstract: In the paper, simultaneous removal of Al(III) and Cu(II) from dilute aqueous solutions by ion and precipitate flotation methods is investigated. Influence of the pH of the initial solution, the surface active collector concentration and the gas flow rate on the final removal ratio and the course of ion and precipitate flotations is presented. The results show that simultaneous flotations of Al(OH)₃ and Cu(OH)₂ insoluble species occur allowing to achieve their almost complete removal in the pH range between 7 and 9. An increase of the surface active agent concentration causes a decrease of the final removal ratio as well as of the flotation rate constant. An increase of the gas flow rate results in an increase of ion and precipitate flotation rates.

Keywords: aluminum – copper – ion flotation – precipitate flotation – removal ratio – rate constant

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-014-0534-x

Chemical Papers 68 (7) 890–898 (2014)