Transport of thorium from nitric acid solution by non-dispersive solvent extraction using a hollow fibre contactor

Membrane based non-dispersive solvent extraction (NDSX) of Th(IV) from aqueous nitric acid medium was carried out using di-n-hexyl octanamide (DHOA) in normal paraffin hydrocarbon (NPH) using a commercial hollow fiber module containing microporous hydrophobic polypropylene capillaries. The NDSX operation was carried out with pumping various concentrations of nitric acid (1–6 M) containing Th(IV) through the tube side and organic extractant (usually 1.1 M DHOA in NPH) through the shell side of the hollow fibre capillaries at aqueous and organic phase flow rates of 3.5 mL/s and 4.5 mL/s, respectively. Extraction studies were performed under different hydrodynamics conditions and the overall mass transfer was evaluated under cuonter-current flow condition. The percentage NDSX of Th(IV) increased with the increase in the extractant concentration (from 0.1 M DHOA to 1.1 M DHOA) as well as with nitric acid concentration (from 1 M to 6 M). Stripping studies were carried out using both distilled water as well as oxalic acid as the strippant. The possibility of the separation of U from Th was also evaluated.