Extraction of strontium ion from sea water by contained liquid membrane permeator

To develop a liquid membrane permeator that extracts strontium ion from sea water effectively and continuously, we investigated the extraction of strontium ion from artificial and natural sea water in a contained liquid membrane permeator. The permeator consists of a liquid membrane and two cells for aqueous solutions. The liquid membrane containing D₂EHPA(di-2-ethylhexyl-phosphoric acid) and DCH18C6(dicyclohexano-18-crown-6) is trapped between two hydrophobic microporous polyethylene films and separates sea water and the 0.2 M H₂SO₄ aqueous stripping solution. The effects of various operating parameters on the extraction of strontium ion were experimentally examined. The extractant of DCH18C6 -D₂EHPA mixture in kerosene had a synergistic effect on the extraction of strontium ion. The permeator extracted strontium ion from sea water effectively and continuously with long membrane lifetime.