Recovery of palladium from a low grade palladium solution by anionic-ion exchange: kinetics, equilibrium, and metal competition

Petroleum spent catalysts may contain a significant amount of palladium (Pd) together with other major [aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), and molybdenum (Mo)] and minor [iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and vanadium (V)] elements. Due to the high intrinsic value of Pd and its scarcity in natural ores, its recovery is highly desired. For this purpose, the ability of a strong basic anionic- resin, Purogold (TM) A194 resin, to remove Pd from the solution was assessed. Data from kinetic and equilibrium studies, performed under batch mode in 1 mol/L of NaCl and 1 mol/L of HNO3 at (21 +/- 1) degrees C, revealed that the removal of Pd fits well a pseudo-second-order kinetic model [constant rate value, k(2), of (0.062 +/- 0.010) g/(mmol.min)] and a Langmuir isotherm [maximum sorption capacity of (0.80 +/- 0.02) mmol/g with an affinity of resin binding sites towards Pd, K-L, of (0.18 +/- 0.02) L/mmol], respectively. The sorption of other metals (Al, Fe, Pb, Mo, Ni, and V) that may be present in spent catalyst leachates was tested under similar experimental conditions [C-M = 2.5 mmol/L, 1 mol/L of NaCl and 1 mol/L of HNO3 at (21 +/- 1) degrees C)] and the resin showed little affinity towards each one of these metals. Also, simultaneous multi-element batch experiments with Pd and the major components (M = Al, Ni, and Mo ions) ([M]/[Pd] molar ratios between 3.4 and 52 were used) pointed out that the resin is highly selective towards Pd suggesting that the resin can be used in the selective recovery of Pd from petroleum spent catalyst leachates.