Studies on the kinetics and equilibrium of the solvent extraction of chromium(III) from alkaline aqueous solutions of different composition in the system with Aliquat 336

The kinetics and equilibrium of Cr(III) extraction with Aliquat 336 from the alkaline aqueous solutions containing anions of various complexing abilities and solvating properties, as: nitrates, or perchlorates, or sulphates, were studied and interpreted. Stoichiometry of Cr(III) complexes formed in the organic phases was also discussed. It was found that under the same conditions the yield and the rate of Cr(III) extraction as well as values of mass transfer coefficient increase in the following order of anions: perchlorates < nitrates < sulphates. The equilibrium of extraction of Cr(III) in the systems with nitrates and/or perchlorates differs significantly from that one established for the extraction of Cr(III) from the alkaline aqueous solutions of sulphates. Experiments with the modified Lewis cell and analysis of the experimental data by mathematic models appeared that the studied extraction of Cr(III) occurs in the mixed diffusion-kinetic regime, irrespective of the kind of anions present in the aqueous phase. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.