Separation study of cadmium through an emulsion liquid membrane using triisooctylamine as mobile carrier

A study of the transport of Cd(2+) ions through a triisooctylamine (TIOA)-sorbitan monooleate (Span 80)-dimethylbenzene liquid membrane has been performed with varying concentrations of HCl, KI, TIOA, Span 80 and NaOH in the feed, membrane and stripping solutions. Maximum transport was observed with 0.025 M HCl, 0.01 M KI, 0.02 M TIOA, 3% (w/v) Span 80 and 0.05 M NaOH. With this system cadmium could be completely separated with Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Fe(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Mn(2+), Cr(3+) and Al(3+). The transport mechanism of this metal ions through the membrane has been discussed.