Separation Science and Technology, Vol.52, No.10, 1670-1679, 2017
Removal of cesium by countercurrent solvent extraction with a calix[4]crown derivative
A macrocyclic 1,3-di(1-dodecyloxy)-2,4-crown-6-calix[4]arene (DodCalix[4]C6) was synthesized and characterized. The extraction of Cs(I) and more than 10 typical metals with DodCalix[4]C6/octanol in HNO3 medium was investigated. DodCalix[4]C6 exhibited strong extraction ability and high selectivity for Cs(I) over others except for Rb(I). The optimum acidity in Cs(I) extraction was 3.0 M HNO3. The Cs(I) separation from a simulated highly active liquid waste by five-stage countercurrent extraction was performed. The extraction efficiency of Cs(I) for five-stage extraction was greater than 99%. The effective partitioning of Cs(I) by DodCalix[4]C6/octanol through multistage countercurrent extraction was achieved.