Predominance zone diagrams and their application to solvent extraction techniques

Predominance zone diagrams have been useful tools in solving problems in analytical chemistry. They can be used to establish the best conditions for separation of mixtures or to optimize recovery procedures for a given species. The few reports on predominance zone diagrams for the participant species in liquid-liquid extraction systems, describe their construction as diagrams of the Pourbaix type (epsilon/pH). With the generalized species and equilibria method (GSEM) it is possible to elaborate Predominance zone diagrams for extraction (PZDE) in proper spaces and with parameters strictly related to these processes such as pH and the volume ratio, r. Therefore, using the GSEM, PZDE that allow us to determine the best conditions for the extraction of a given substance have been elaborated. The stoichiometry of the species been extracted can also be determined from the experimental conditions. It has been demonstrated that with the GSEM, PZDE can be constructed for systems of one and two components. In this work, we intend to demonstrate that the algorithm is valid for the elaboration of PZDE in systems of three and four components. Examples of analytical interest are presented such as lead (II) extraction with diphenyltiocarbazone (dithizone) and that for cadmium (II) with 8-hydroxyquinolein (oxine) in chloroform. The influence of a masking agent, the etilendiaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA) over the extraction of both metals was also assessed.