Concentration of Mo(VI) from Aqueous Sulfuric Acid Solution by an Emulsion-type Liquid Membrane Process

Abstract

The applicability of the emulsion-type liquid membrane process using tri-n-octhylamine (TNOA) as an extractant to concentrate Mo(VI) from an aqueous sulfuric acid solution was investigated. Effects of various factors on the stability of emulsion and the extraction rate and percent extraction of Mo(VI) were examined. It was found that this liquid membrane process yielded a much higher extraction percentage than the conventional solvent extraction process, when the same amount of TNOA was used. Among various agents tested, Na2CO3 was found to be preferable to strip Mo(VI) anions in the internal phase. Two-stage cross flow mixing applied to 1 kg m−3 Mo(VI) readily lowered the Mo(VI) concentration in the raffinate to below 0.005 kg m−3.