SEPARATION AND RECOVERY OF GOLD, PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM BY A TRIOCTYLAMINE LIQUID MEMBRANE

The carrier-mediated transport of gold(III), platinum(IV) and palladiu m(II) through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) has been investigated by the use of trioctylamine (TOA) as a mobile carrier. The transport b ehavior of precious metals greatly depended on the carrier concentrati on. At a low TOA concentration, Au(III) was preferentially transported across an SLM from the HCl feed solution to the HClO4 product solutio n. The transport of Pt(IV) and Pd(II) was enhanced with increasing car rier concentration. The separation factor of Au(III) over Pt(IV) and P d(II) was improved with increasing concentration of HCl in the feed so lution.