SOLUTION EXTRACTION OF TRANSITION AND POSTTRANSITION HEAVY AND PRECIOUS METALS BY CHELATE AND MACROCYCLIC LIGANDS

This review focuses on compounds and methods that can be used for the extraction and separation from solution of two classes of elements tha t we define as heavy metals and precious metals. These elements are of ten targeted because they are toxic, costly, and their coordination ch emistry has already been well studied, and because there is a need to develop methods of economically extracting, separating and recovering them from waste sites. This review outlines possible strategies that c an be used, and reviews the present literature regarding the available methods for their extraction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.