Room temperature ionic liquid as a novel medium for liquid/liquid extraction of metal ions Original Research Article

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been used as novel solvents to replace traditional volatile organic solvents in organic synthesis, solvent extraction, and electrochemistry. The hydrophobic character and water immiscibility of certain ionic liquids allow their use in solvent extraction of hydrophobic compounds. In this work, a typical room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C4mim][PF6], was used as an alternative solvent to study liquid/liquid extraction of heavy metal ions. Dithizone was employed as a metal chelator to form neutral metal–dithizone complexes with heavy metal ions to extract metal ions from aqueous solution into [C4mim][PF6]. This extraction is possible due to the high distribution ratios of the metal complexes between [C4mim][PF6] and aqueous phase. Since the distribution ratios of metal dithiozonates between [C4mim][PF6] and aqueous phase are strongly pH dependent, the extraction efficiencies of metal complexes can be manipulated by tailoring the pH value of the extraction system. Hence, the extraction, separation, and preconcentraction of heavy metal ions with the biphasic system of [C4mim][PF6] and aqueous phase can be achieved by controlling the pH value of the extraction system. Preliminary results indicate that the use of [C4mim][PF6] as an alternate solvent to replace traditional organic solvents in liquid/liquid extraction of heavy metal ions is very promising.