THE INFLUENCE OF SURFACTANTS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF HEAVY-METALS IN THE SYSTEM N-OCTANOL-WATER

The partition of heavy metals between octanol and water in the presenc e of surfactants has been investigated. It is shown that metal ions ca n be extracted from water into the organic phase, n-octanol, as a mode l for biological materials in the presence of various anionic surfacta nts. Anions such as chromate can be extracted with the help of certain cationic surfactants. It was found that the extent of extraction depe nds on various parameters, such as the concentration of the surfactant , ionic strength and pH. With some anionic surfactants, the K(ow) of l ead or cadmium can reach values of 200 from waters of low ionic streng th, decreasing as the ionic strength increases.