A bulk liquid membrane consisted of 1.8 x 10(-4) M Janus Green in chloroform that placed between an aqueous source phase containing 0.5 M sodium thiocyanate at pH 7 and an aqueous receiving phase with 0.1 5 M histidine at pH 7 results in an uphill transport of copper from the source phase to the receiving phase. The amount of copper transport through the liquid membrane after 180 min was 97.0 +/- 1.7%. The presence of other metals such as Cd2+, Zn2+, Hg2+, Mg2+, Ag1+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Fe3+, K1+, Co2+ doesn't change the efficiency of copper transport. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.