Liquid-liquid extraction is widely used to separate organic and inorganic species from the analytical laboratory-scale to the industrial-scale. Equilibrium analysis of the distribution of the relevant molecules between the phases and analysis of the bulk aqueous and organic phases can give much insight into the separation performance of the system and important bulk species. However, the actual separation is a dynamic process that takes place when the molecules of interest cross the phase boundary between the two immiscible liquid phases. To directly probe these dynamic separation processes, we are using a new optical spectrometer immune to light-scatter in order to study the partitioning of lanthanide complexes in rapidly-mixed solvent extraction systems. This spectrometer allows simultaneous examination light-absorbing species in the aqueous and organic phases as well as at the aqueous-organic interface throughout the extraction process. Recent experimental results from applying this technique to the ALSEP (Actinide-Lanthanide SEPparation) process will be described.<br/>

Optical probes of liquid-liquid extraction speciation and kinetics in real-time

255th National Meeting (2018)

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