Applications of Solvent Extraction.

Applications of Solvent Extraction. 

1.Determination of the iron as the  8-       hydroxyquinolate. 

Fe3+ ion ( 50-200 μ gms) can be extracted from an aqueous solution with 1% solution of 8 hydroxyquinoline in chloroform by double extraction .

The pH of the aqueous solution is between 2-10.

At pH 2-2.5, Aluminum, Cobalt, Cerium do not interfere in the analysis. 

Ferric oxinate a dark coloured solution in chloroform are formed,which absorb radiation at 470 mμ. 

2.Determination of Uranium as a 8-hydroxyquinolate 

Uranium can be extracted and determined from the the aqueous solution by adding 8-hydroxyquinoline as the 8-hydroxyquinolate (900μgm ) at pH 8. 8 and in the presence of EDTA

The Oxinate complex absorb at 400 mμ. 

3.Determination of Lead in the blood. 

For the determination of Lead in the blood, after the organic matter is destroyed, then blood sample is treated with dithiozone chelating agent. 

Metal chelate of lead is formed. and then it is extracted into Dichloromethane at pH 8-10.

And by spectrophotometric determination we can find out the amount of the lead in the blood. 

This method is generally used in the drug analysis. 

4.Determination of Copper in Cast iron, Alloy steel, Solder etc. 

Complexing agent for cuprous copper is

Neo-Cuproin(2,9 dimethyl ,1,10 phenanthroline ). 

The complex is soluble in chloroform. 

The Copper from Cast iron, Solder and Alloy steel is obtained in the aqueous phase. 

Then it is complexed with the Neo-cuproin and extracted with the chloroform. 

The complex absorb at a 457 mμ by using spectrophotometer. 

The amount of Copper can be determined by Spectrophotometric method. 

Similarly, Process of solvent extraction can be applied for some important determinations. 

1.Determination of Beryllium as a acetylacetone    complex. 

2.Determination of Copper as diethyldithiocarbamate complex. 

3.Determination of Molybdenum by thiocynate    method. 

These are applications of Solvent Extraction. 

Some other applications are listed below. 

• Nuclear Chemistry. 

Solvent extraction has wide applications in nuclear chemistry.

This technique is used for radionuclide production, reactor material preparation and recovery and purification of actinide. 

It is also used for the extraction of Uranium and Plutonium from spent nuclear fuel.

• Mass Spectroscopy. 

Liquid extraction is used in analysis and detection of trace substances. 

• Pharmaceutical Biochemistry.

Solvent extraction can be used to purify proteins and amino acids.

It can be done by aqueous two phase system by partitioning amino acids. 

Partitioning and production of Lactic acid can also be done by aqueous two phase system partitioning of amino acids and oligopeptides. 

Human insulin like growth factor (igf-1) can be separated by solvent extraction. Here,  aqueous two phase system is used which partitions soluble non active (igf-1) and biomass solid into separate liquid phases. 

It is used for purification of pharmaceuticals from plant ecdosyne and 20-hydroxyacdosyne(steroid hormones) both are soluble in water. 

Their partitioning behavior can be controlled by adding sodium chloride, sodium sulphate and ethyl alcohol to the primary two phase system. 

Porphyrin compounds are partitioned between aqueous two- phase system.

• Waste Water Treatment. 

Solvent extraction plays a important role in waste water treatment. 

Waste water contains so many organic compounds like Insecticides, pesticides,herbicides, phenols,aromatic and heterocyclic compounds,industrial waste etc. 

For the waste water treatment,common form of Chemical Extraction in an organic solvent is used. 

 

• Biofuel Separation. 

Solvent extraction technique is used for extraction in biofuel. 

The most common biofuel is Biodiesel. 

It is produced from oils or fats using trans-esterification. 

In Trans-esterification process,methanol and KOH were pre-mixed to prepare potassium methoxide, and then it is added to the oil in the reactor. 

The reaction mixture is mixed with a speed of 400 rpm for 2 h at 50 °C.(Oil and methanol molar ratio is taken as 1:10) 

The mixture  was kept overnight for the formation of two layers. Upper layer ( Biodiesel ) and lower layer glycerin rich phase . 

Hence, Solvent extraction technique is very useful in biofuel separation. 

• Hydrometallurgy. 

Solvent extraction is very often used technology in hydrometallurgy.

 It is a process used to purify and concentrate   solutions obtained from the leaching of ores.

The primary use of solvent extraction in   hydrometallurgy is purification and concentration of   mineral values from solutions.