Title: Selective extraction of cadmium by polymer inclusion membranes containing PVC and Aliquat 336: role base polymer and extractant

Authors: Joel Peterson, Long D. Nghiem

Addresses: School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, The University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. ' School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, The University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia

Abstract: PVC/Aliquat 336 Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) synthesised in this study showed excellent extraction selectivity of Cd²⁺ over Cu²⁺. This could be explained by examining the extraction mechanisms of metal cations involving Aliquat 336 and the speciation of such metals in a chloride matrix, which was used in the extraction experiments. There was a good correlation between the content of Aliquat 336 in the membrane and the extraction rate. In addition, results reported here also confirm that variation Molecular Weight (MW) of the base polymer PVC did not exert any discernible influence on the extraction performance of the membranes.

Keywords: PIMs; polymer inclusion membranes; metal extraction; base polymer; PVC; Aliquat 336; cadmium; extraction selectivity; metal removal; copper.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2010.031539

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2010 Vol.12 No.2/3/4, pp.359 - 368

Published online: 10 Feb 2010 *

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