Hexavalent chromium recovery by liquid-liquid extraction with tributylphosphate from acidic chloride media

A method is introduced for recuperation of chromium(VI) in water samples by liquid-liquid extraction with tributylphosphate PO(C4H9O)3 (TBP) from acidic chloride media. The optimum conditions for quantitative extraction of Cr(VI) were evaluated by varying the experimental parameters, such as the shaking period, the pH of the aqueous phase, the hydrochloric acid concentration, the hydrogen and chloride ion concentrations, the extractant concentration and the ratio of aqueous-to-organic phase. The probable extracted species of hexavalent chromium in organic phase, deduced from log-log plots, were H2CrO4 in acid media in absence of chloride and HCrO3Cl in acidic chloride media. Chromium(VI) was found to be extracted with tributylphosphate from acidic chloride media according to the following reaction: HCrO4-(aq), + 2H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + 2TBP(org) <==> [HCrO3Cl, 2TBP](org) + H2O(aq). Since the tributylphosphate (TBP) exhibited a high selectivity for chromium(VI), this method can be applicable to the extraction and the determination of chromium in both oxidation states [Cr(VI) and Cr(III)] in water samples.