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

Selective separation of uranium from sulfuric acid media using a polymer inclusion membrane containing alamine336

Parisa Zaheri and Reza Davarkhah

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

E-mail: pzaheri@aeoi.org.ir

Received: 24 April 2019  Accepted: 10 December 2019

Abstract:

This study reports the extraction of U(VI) using poly(vinyl chloride)-based polymer inclusion membrane (PIM), possessing the extractant alamine336 and the plasticizer Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (POE). The effects of transport parameters such as alamine336 and POE concentration in the PIM composition, uranium and sulfuric acid concentration in the feed phase, and the receiving phase type and concentration were discussed. Under the optimum conditions, 91.02 ± 2% of uranium was transported through the PIM. The prepared PIM showed excellent selectivity for U(VI) from the sulfuric acid leach solution. The stability of the PIM was found to be acceptable for 5 days.

Keywords: Polymer inclusion membrane; Uranium; Alamine336; Sulfuric acid leach solution; Selectivity; Stability

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-01029-9

Chemical Papers 74 (8) 2573–2581 (2020)