Extraction Properties of 4-Tetra(hydroxyphenyl)BTPhen in Liquid-Liquid Extraction Systems with Cyclohexanone/Octanol or in a Solid-Phase Extraction System

The extraction properties of tetra(4-hydroxyphenyl)BTPhen have been investigated. Liquid-liquid extraction studies in proposed SANEX diluents, cyclohexanone and 1-octanol, indicate that actinide-lanthanide separation is superior in cyclohexanone; whereas actinide-actinide separation is more efficient in 1-octanol. Immobilization of the ligand onto a silica support results in the separation factor becoming dependent upon the concentration of nitrate anions in the aqueous phase. The immobilized ligand was also applied to the extraction of transition metals, resulting in >70% uptake of all transition metals examined, in the presence of alkali and alkaline earth metals.