Extraction of Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn metal ions mixture using PEG-inorganic salt aqueous two phase systems in the presence of iodide (KI) and Thiocyanate (KSCN) ions as Extractants

Abstract

The extraction behavior of (Cd (II), Cu (II), Fe (II), and Zn (II)) metal ions was studied in an aqueous biphasic system formed from poly ethylene glycol and sodium Sulphate in the presence of iodide (KI) and thiocyanate (KSCN) as extractants. The extraction percentage was determined at constant temperature of 25oC, PH of 2.5 and mixing time of 10 min. and as a function of the following variables:•Concentration of (KI) or (KSCN) solvents between (0.1-0.7) ml of 2 g/l solution.•Volumetric phase ratio of PEG to Na2SO4 in the range of (0.5-3).•Initial concentrations of the metal ions between (0.5-0.15) ml of 1 g/l metal solution added.The extraction percentage (%) of metals is mainly increased with the increasing of each concentration of the extractant, phase ratio, and the initial concentrations of the metal ions. The extraction percentage of (Cu (II), Fe (II), and Zn (II)) was higher for the system containing (SCN-) than (I-), while the extraction (%) of Cd (II) was higher in the system containing (I-) than (SCN-). The mixtures consist of (0.5) ml of initial concentration of metal ions, (0.7) ml of (KSCN), (3) of (PEG/Na2SO4) volumetric phase ratio had the best results of the extraction of (Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn) which equal to (87, 92, 92, and 80) % respectively