Copper Separation from Aqueous Effluents by Liquid Membrane Pertraction

Abstract

In this paper the feasibility of applying liquid membrane pertraction to the copper recovery from aqueous effluents has been examined. A continuos laboratory-scale hollow fiber-in-fiber type membrane pertractor was constructed to solve a variety of problems encountered in the conventional solvent extraction equipment. Copper-ions present in the feed solution were transferred through an organic liquid containing 2-hydroxy-5-nonylacetophenone oxim in kerosene and concentrated in an acid solution on the strip side. The operational factors such as flow rates of the three liquid streams were considered. The overall mass transfer rate is greatly influenced by the resistances in the aqueous film boundary layer on the feed side, and by the rate of interfacial reaction taking place at organic-strip interface.