Katarzyna Staszak

Removal of Cadmium(II) Ions from Chloride Solutions by Cyanex 301 and Cyanex 302

The main goal of this work was to study and compare the extraction of cadmium(II) ions by the two organophosphorous extractants: Cyanex 301 and Cyanex 302. The effect of different variables influencing the extraction of cadmium(II) ions such as the concentration of acid or metal ion and type of extractant has been investigated. Obtained results from the extraction process were compared with the FT-IR spectra. Results of spectrophotometric analysis confirm the observations of the extraction process, for example, the negative effect of hydrochloric acid on cadmium extraction by Cyanex 302.

Synthesis and Interfacial Activity of Novel Heterogemini Sulfobetaines in Aqueous Solution

Three new heterogemini sulfobetaines and their chloride salts were synthesised. The interfacial activities of the obtained chlorides in aqueous solution were studied by equilibrium and dynamic surface tension measurements. The critical micelle concentration, surface excess concentration, minimum area per surfactant molecule and standard Gibbs energy of adsorption as well as micelle lifetime and diffusion coefficient were determined. The adsorption properties and micelle lifetime of these compounds significantly depend on the length of alkyl chain. The critical micelle concentration decreases with increasing chain length of the compounds considered. The values of the diffusion coefficient of N-alkyl-N-methyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-6-(N-alkyl-N-methylamino)hexylammonium chloride tend to decrease as the concentration is increased.

Effect of Sodium Chloride on the Surface and Wetting Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Surfactants are important ingredients of personal care products and household products. The main characteristic of these compounds is to decrease the surface tension of solvent and resulting many properties such as contact angle, foam properties etc. The coexistence of other ingredients in the product may affect the properties of surfactants. One of the main components contained in almost every personal care and household product is sodium chloride. The main aim of this work was to determine the effect of this salt on some surface and usage properties of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB). From our experiments it was shown that the effect of added sodium chloride in the aqueous solutions of CAPB on the properties is the opposite to the one described in the literature for cationic and anionic surfactants, i.e., CMC increases with increasing ionic strength, foam height decreases with increasing salt concentration. Our investigation showed that sodium chloride makes worse the properties of the CAPB solutions examined in this work.

Nanofiltration, bipolar electrodialysis and reactive extraction hybrid system for separation of fumaric acid from fermentation broth.

A novel approach based on a hybrid system allowing nanofiltration, bipolar electrodialysis and reactive extraction, was proposed to remove fumaric acid from fermentation broth left after bioconversion of glycerol. The fumaric salts can be concentrated in the nanofiltration process to a high yield (80-95% depending on pressure), fumaric acid can be selectively separated from other fermentation components, as well as sodium fumarate can be conversed into the acid form in bipolar electrodialysis process (stack consists of bipolar and anion-exchange membranes). Reactive extraction with quaternary ammonium chloride (Aliquat 336) or alkylphosphine oxides (Cyanex 923) solutions (yield between 60% and 98%) was applied as the final step for fumaric acid recovery from aqueous streams after the membrane techniques. The hybrid system permitting nanofiltration, bipolar electrodialysis and reactive extraction was found effective for recovery of fumaric acid from the fermentation broth.

Micellar Enhanced Ultrafiltration as a Method of Removal of Chromium(III) Ions from Aqueous Solutions

This study was undertaken to check the possibility of using micellar enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) in the removal of chromium(III) ions from water systems. The influence of ion concentration in the feed, type of surfactant (SDS or Rofam 10), and the membrane material on separation efficiency were studied and discussed. The use of environmentally safer surfactants from renewable sources was proposed, that is, oxyethylated rape fatty acid methyl esters – trade name: Rofam 10. The results presented show the possibility of using MEUF as an effective method for removing chromium(III) ions from aqueous solutions, especially from solutions of low concentration.

Application of nanofiltration in the process of the separation of model fermentation broths components

Abstract The effectiveness of nanofiltration with the use of ceramic membranes in the process of concentration and separation of fumaric acid or succinic acid from glycerol and citric acid from erythritol was evaluated. It was found that the retention of sodium salts of the acids investigated increased strongly with increasing the pH of the feed solution (depending on the degree of dissociation), while the retention degrees of di- and tricarboxylic acids, erythritol or glycerol were lower than 2%, irrespective of the initial concentration of the solution to be filtered. The results obtained showed that nanofiltration can be considered as one of the purification steps in the process of recovery of salts of organic acids from fermentation broth.

Comparison of polymeric and ceramic membranes performance in the process of micellar enhanced ultrafiltration of cadmium(II) ions from aqueous solutions

A comparison of polymeric and ceramic membranes in the ultrafiltration process was studied and presented. This study was conducted on the separation of cadmium(II) ions, with particular reference to parameters such as hydrodynamic permeability coefficient, membrane fouling, amount of surfactant in the permeate, efficiency, and effectiveness of the process. The effect of ionic (SDS) and non-ionic (Rofam 10) surfactants or their mixture was investigated. The hydrodynamic permeability coefficient of the ceramic membrane was found to be much lower in comparison to those of the polymeric ones (1.69 × 10−7 m3 h−1 m−2 Pa−1, 5.66 × 10−7 m3 h−1 m−2 Pa−1, and 9.26 × 10−7 m3 h−1 m−2 Pa−1 for ceramic, CA, and PVDF, respectively). However, filtration of the surfactants solutions did not cause permanent blocking of pores and the surface of the ceramic membrane in contrast to the polymeric ones. No significant differences in surfactants permeation through the membranes tested were observed. Concentration of the surfactant in the permeate was lower than 1 CMC for the Rofam 10 solution and exceeded the CMC by about 40 % for the SDS solution. Better separation properties of polymer membranes for the separation of cadmium(II) ions from micellar systems were identified.

Synthesis, Surface and Antimicrobial Activity of Piperidine-Based Sulfobetaines

A new method for the preparation of new heterocyclic amine surfactants based on sulfobetaines is proposed. Interfacial activities of the surfactants obtained in aqueous solution were studied by surface tension measurements. The critical micelle concentration, surface excess concentration, minimum area per surfactant molecule, and standard Gibbs energy of adsorption were determined. The adsorption properties of these compounds depend significantly on the alkyl chain length. Alkyl chain length also affects biological properties of the new surfactants, determining the minimum inhibitory concentration and size of inhibited growth zone. The compounds have high antimicrobial activity.

Removal of cobalt(II) and zinc(II) from sulphate solutions by means of extraction with sodium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinate (Na-Cyanex 272)

The removal of Co(II) and Zn(II) from model and real crude nickel sulphate (CNS) solutions by extraction with sodium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate (Na-Cyanex 272) is studied and compared with the effect of using bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid (Cyanex 272). The proposed novel approach to manage both hazardous metal ions from CNS with sodium salt of Cyanex 272 focuses on the following issues: (i) effect of the initial pH of feeds on the extraction efficiency, (ii) leaching of metal ions from CNS, (iii) efficiency and selectivity of metal ion extraction from real CNS, and (iv) FT-IR analysis of structure of complexes formed by the metal ions with the extractant studied. It is concluded that converting Cyanex 272 into its sodium salt greatly improves the efficiency of the extraction in comparison to the conversion into the acidic form of the extractant, regardless of the type of metal ion considered, whether Zn(II) or Co(II). These phenomena occurring in the extraction system are confirmed by the obtained FT-IR spectra of the organic phases after extraction and stripping.

Equilibrium and rate of iron(III) extraction from chloride solutions by individual hydrophobic extractants and their mixtures

Equilibrium and rate of iron(III) extraction from chloride solutions by individual hydrophobic extractants and their mixtures The main goal of this work was to study and compare the rate of iron(III) extraction from chloride solutions by commercial extractants: Alamine 336, TOPO and LIX 54 and their mixtures. Using the interfacial tension data, obtained for mixed systems, the values of surface mole fraction and molecular interaction parameter of extractants were estimated. Determination of the extraction rates was performed by using the Lewis-type stirred transfer cell. It was found that the extraction efficiency of extractants are changed in the following order: Alamine 336>TOPO>β-diketone. The addition of a chelating extractant to the system decreases the extraction efficiency, for example the addition of β-diketone to TOPO decreases the extraction efficiency by about 50%.