Base Metal Ion Extraction and Stripping from WEEE Leachate by Liquid-liquid Extraction

The simultaneous effect of different factors such as pH, carrier concentrations, organic phase modifier, and stripping agent concentrations on the extraction and stripping of base metals from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) leachate was investigated. Initially, sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide were used in the leaching process of base metals from WEEE, followed by an investigation on the effectiveness of different organic phases on WEEE leachate regarding metal extraction. In this phase, lirsatic 10 (V10) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) were used as carrier and phase modifier, respectively, while kerosene was used as the organic phase diluent. Extractions of silver, copper, cadmium, nickel, iron, lead, zinc and aluminium were achieved using 150 mm of V10, loaded with 100 mm of TBP in kerosene. Eventually, a study on extracted metals stripping was carried out to optimise the highest base metal stripping from the organic phase. For this purpose, different concentrations of sulfuric acid were used as stripping agent, and the results revealed that 1.5 M of H2SO4 successfully stripped the extracted metal ions.