Selective and efficient liquid membrane transport of gold as gold cyanide using an anion carrier

The facilitated transport of Au(III) from cyanide solutions through a bulk liquid membrane is reported. The organic phase consisted of a chloroform solution containing Victoria blue dye as the Au(CN)(4)(-) carrier. The effects of pH of source phase, potassium cyanide concentration in source phase, Victoria blue concentration in the organic phase and sodium hydroxide in the receiving phase on the efficiency of transport process were examined. Under optimum conditions the extent of Au(CN)(4)(-) transport across the liquid membrane was about 97% after 180 min. The carrier can selectively and efficiently transport Au(CN)(4)(-) ion from the aqueous solutions containing other cations such as alkali and alkaline earth, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Ag+, Co2+, Fe2+, Pt2+, Pd2+ and Ni2+. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.