Fluid extraction

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872573

Wai, Chien M ^[1]; Laintz, Kenneth E ^[2]

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1. Moscow, ID
2. Los Alamos, NM

A method of extracting metalloid and metal species from a solid or liquid material by exposing the material to a supercritical fluid solvent containing a chelating agent is described. The chelating agent forms chelates that are soluble in the supercritical fluid to allow removal of the species from the material. In preferred embodiments, the extraction solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide and the chelating agent is a fluorinated .beta.-diketone. In especially preferred embodiments the extraction solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide, and the chelating agent comprises a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkyl phosphate, or a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkylphosphine oxide. Although a trialkyl phosphate can extract lanthanides and actinides from acidic solutions, a binary mixture comprising a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkyl phosphate or a trialkylphosphine oxide tends to enhance the extraction efficiencies for actinides and lanthanides. The method provides an environmentally benign process for removing contaminants from industrial waste without using acids or biologically harmful solvents. The method is particularly useful for extracting actinides and lanthanides from acidic solutions. The chelate and supercritical fluid can be regenerated, and the contaminant species recovered, to provide an economic, efficient process.

• DOE Contract Number: C85-110554
• Assignee: Idaho Research Foundation, Inc. (Moscow, ID)
• Patent Number(s): US 5965025
• OSTI ID: 872573
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

fluid
extraction
method
extracting
metalloid
metal
species
solid
liquid
material
exposing
supercritical
solvent
containing
chelating
agent
described
forms
chelates
soluble
allow
removal
preferred
embodiments
carbon
dioxide
fluorinated
beta
-diketone
especially
comprises
trialkyl
phosphate
trialkylphosphine
oxide
extract
lanthanides
actinides
acidic
solutions
binary
mixture
comprising
tends
enhance
efficiencies
provides
environmentally
benign
process
removing
contaminants
industrial
waste
acids
biologically
harmful
solvents
particularly
useful
chelate
regenerated
contaminant
recovered
provide
economic
efficient
species recovered
benign process
agent forms
trialkyl phosphate
removing contaminants
extracting metal
allow removal
phosphine oxide
biologically harmful
forms chelates
especially preferred
trialkylphosphine oxide
industrial waste
supercritical carbon
solvent containing
liquid material
environmentally benign
extraction solvent
metal species
preferred embodiments
supercritical fluid
carbon dioxide
preferred embodiment
particularly useful
chelating agent
mixture comprising
method provides
efficient process
fluid solvent
agent comprises
binary mixture
acidic solution
method provide
acidic solutions
contaminant species
extracting metalloid
extraction efficiencies
fluid extraction
harmful solvents
extracting actinides
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