Sains Malaysiana 48(2)(2019): 419–424

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4802-20

 

Kajian Keberkesanan Pengekstrakan Torium daripada Larutan Asid Hidroklorik menggunakan Di(2-Etilheksil) Asid Fosforik (D2EHPA)

(Effectiveness Study of Thorium Extraction from Hydrochloric Acid using Di (2-Ethylhexyl) Phosphoric Acid (D2EHPA))

 

AHMAD HAYATON JAMELY MOHD SALEHUDDIN1, ELI SYAFIQAH AZIMAN1, CHE NOR ANIZA CHE ZAINUL BAHRI1, MUHAMMAD AMIRUL RAFIQ AHMAD AFFENDI1, WAN MOHD RAZI IDRIS3 & AZNAN FAZLI ISMAIL1,2*

 

1Program Sains Nuklear, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

2Pusat Sains Terkehadapan, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

3Pusat Sains Bumi dan Alam Sekitar, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

Received: 25 April 2018/Accepted: 14 September 2018

 

ABSTRAK

Pengekstrakan torium daripada larutan akueus torium tetraklorida (ThCl4) telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan larutan organik Di-(2-etikheksil) asid fosforik dalam kerosen (D2EHPA/K). Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan parameter kepekatan organik dalam pelarut dan masa campuran optimum yang mempengaruhi kecekapan pengekstrakan. Campuran torium - nadir bumi hidroksida ([Th-RE](OH)4) daripada sumber kepekatan monazit tempatan dilarutkan dalam asid hidroklorik (HCl) pada kepekatan 3 dan 4 molariti. Larutan akueus [Th-RE](OH)4 ini dicampurkan dengan pelarut organik D2EHPA/K pada kepekatan berbeza iaitu 10%, 20% dan 30%. Sebatian diaduk selama 5 hingga 20 min sebelum fasa larutan akueus dan organik dipisahkan. Kepekatan torium sebelum dan selepas pengekstrakan dianalisis menggunakan Spektrometri Jisim Plasma Gandingan Teraruh (ICP-MS). Keputusan kajian mendapati peningkatan kepekatan torium dalam larutan akueus (Th-RE)OH4 dalam julat 119.40 ± 3.43 – 121.13 ± 3.18 ppm berbanding sebelumnya. Kecekapan pengekstrakan optimum bagi torium ialah 99.8%, menggunakan D2EHPA/K pada kepekatan 30%. Keputusan kajian juga mendapati masa optimum bagi proses campuran dan pemisahan torium dalam larutan akueus kepada fasa organik masing - masing adalah 5 min. Sehubungan dengan itu, kajian ini membuktikan D2EHPA berpotensi untuk digunakan sebagai agen pengekstrakan torium daripada larutan asid hidroklorik.

 

Kata kunci: D2EHPA; kerosen; monazit; pengektrakan torium

 

ABSTRACT

Thorium extraction from thorium tetrachloride aqueous solution (ThCl4) was performed by using organic solution of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid in kerosene (D2EHPA/K). The study aims to determine the organic concentration parameter in the solvent and the mixing time that influences the extraction efficiency. Mix thorium-rare earth hydroxide (Th-RE)(OH)4 from local monazite concentrates was dissolved in 3 M and 4 M of hydrochloric acid, respectively. The aqueous solution of (Th-RE)(OH)4 was mixed with the organic solvent D2EHPA/K at different concentrations of 10%, 20%, and 30%, respectively. The mixture was stirred for 5 to 20 min before the aqueous and organic phase were separated. Thorium concentrations before and after extraction were analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The result indicates that thorium concentrate in aqueous solution (Th-RE)OH4 is in a range of 119.40 ± 3.43 – 121.13 ± 3.18 ppm. The highest extraction efficiency for thorium was 99.8%, extracted using D2EHPA/K at 30% of concentration. The result indicated that the optimum mixing and separation times of thorium from aqueous solution into organic phase was 5 min, respectively. Therefore, this research proves that D2EHPA is potentially be used as thorium extraction agent digested in hydrochloric acid.

 

Keywords: D2EHPA; kerosene; monazite; thorium extraction

 

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*Corresponding author; email: aznan@ukm.edu.my

 

 

 

 

 

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