Vanadium(V) ions transport through tri-n-octyl amine cyclohexane supported liquid membranes

The transport study of V(V) ions through supported liquid membranes (SLM), based on tri-n-octyl amine (TOA) as carrier in cyclohexane diluent, supported in polypropylene hydrophobic micro-porous film has been carried out. The effect of concentration of HCl, V(V) ions (in feed) and TOA (in membrane) has been investigated. Three different stripping reagents, H2O, HNO3 (0.1–1 M) and Na2CO3 (0.188–0.94 M), have been used to determine their effect on V(V) ions transport. Increase in the HCl concentration leads to an increase of the amount of V(V) ions extracted in the organic phase. However, beyond a concentration of 2 M HCl it decreases. Similarly, increase in the TOA concentration leads to an increase of the amount of V(V) ion extracted in the organic phase but beyond 30% it decreases. Increase in the V(V) ions concentration in the feed, leads to an increase in the flux across the membrane. In addition, out of the three strippents used it was found that HNO3 was the best of these. The species involved for transport across the membrane is R3NH VO2Cl2. The mechanism of transport is coupled co-ions transport with H+ and Cl− coupled ions.