Separation of lanthanides by extraction with PC-88A in dodecane

The extraction of lanthanides (La, Ce, Gd, Yb) and yttrium from an aqueous phosphate medium with 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC-88A) was studied. Different concentrations of PC-88A in n-dodecane were studied for the separation of lanthanides and yttrium ions at different pH values. It was found that the separation of Yb and Y from the lanthanides mixture is possible at a relatively high concentration of phosphoric acid ( 1000 mol/m(3)) with a PC-88A concentration of 400 mol/m(3) Increasing the p H value to more than 1.5 caused the extraction distribution coefficient of light lanthanides to increase considerably. The extraction distribution coe fficient of all lanthanides and yttrium ions was found to decrease with inc reasing H3PO4 concentration.