Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Coal Extraction (Chemistry). Solvent extraction'

Thesis (M. Eng.)(Chemical Engineering)--University of Pretoria, 2006.
Accompanied by a CD-ROM containing Matlab programs. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

The equilibrium and the kinetics of the reaction of Mo (VI) with 8-hydroxyquinoline; 8-hydroxyquinaldine; KELEX 100; LIX63; and LIX65N were studied by solvent extraction. From the equilibrium studies it was concluded that in weakly acidic solution (pH 5 to 6) the overall extraction reaction is (UNFORMATTED TABLE FOLLOWS) MoO₄²⁻ + 2H⁺ + 2HL(o) ↔ (K(ex)) MoO₂L ₂(o) + 2H₂O (TABLE ENDS) where HL is the monoprotic bidentate ligand, "(o)" refers to the organic phase, and K(,ex) is the extraction constant. It was concluded that the complexation reaction requires four protons to convert molybdate into molybdenyl. The extractions constants for LIX63 and 8-hydroxyquinaldine, corrected for the side reaction of the ligand and metal, are 10¹⁶·⁴³ and 10¹⁴·⁴⁰, respectively. In the case of LIX65N, the plot of log(D) vs pH has a maximum at pH 1.0, which was explained qualitatively in terms of protonation of the ligand and molybdic acid at low pH. The extraction constant for the reaction of molybdic acid and the neutral ligand was estimated to be 100,000. The kinetics of extraction Mo (VI) with LIX63, 8-hydroxyquinoline, 8-hydroxyquinaldine, and Kelex 100 were studied in this work. In all cases, except 8-hydroxyquinoline, the rate-determining step of the reaction involves the formation of a 1:1 complex between the neutral ligand and several Mo(VI) species differing in the degree of protonation. The rate-determining step for the reaction of Mo(VI) with 8-hydroxyquinoline involves the formation of a 1:2 complex. The rate constant for the reaction of HMoO₄ with 8-hydroxyquinaldine is four orders of magnitude smaller than the corresponding value reported in the literature for 8-hydroxyquinoline. The slower reaction with 8-hydroxyquinaldine was attributed to the presence of the methyl group next to the nitrogen atom of the ligand which hinders its binding with molybdenum in the rate determining step of the reaction.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2000.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 144 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-93).

Coal is an important fuel for countries with large coal reserves such as South Africa since it is expected that oil and natural gas prices will continue to rise. The Waterberg coalfield contains 40% of South Africa's remaining coal reserves, but due to the lack of a good infrastructure (water and railway) there are currently only a few operations in the Waterberg. The utilization of remote coal reserves, such as the Waterberg coalfield, is difficult and requires an investigation of possible coal conversion processes. The extraction of high-ash bituminous coal, using an organic solvent, had been studied by coal researchers before as a possible method to convert coal into valuable products. The purpose of the solvent is to extract organic material from the coal while the inorganic mineral matter (ash) is left behind. Advantages of the solvent extraction process include mild operating conditions compared to an indirect liquefaction process, low C02 release and coal as major utility since the solvent can be recycled. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the solvent extraction of South African coal using a coal-derived solvent. Batch extraction experiments were carried out for two South African coals - one a vitrinite-rich coal (Waterberg) and the other an inertinite-rich coal (Brandspruit). A vitrinite-rich American coal (lllinois#6) was used as benchmark. Residue oil was the selected coal-derived industrial solvent used for the extractions. High extraction yields (d.a.f) were obtained for Waterberg (29-63%) and lllinois#6 coal (55-74%), while only limited success was achieved with Brandspruit coal (maximum 17%). This shows that solvent extraction, using residue oil as solvent, is a possible coal conversion process to convert vitrinite-rich South African coal into valuable products. For the operating conditions investigated in this study it was found that 370^ is the optimum extraction temperature and 5:1 the optimum solvent to coal ratio, while the particle size did not have a significant influence on the extraction yield. Continuous extraction experiments were carried out for the same two South African coals used in the batch extraction experiments and also with residue oil as solvent. Extraction temperatures and residence times were limited by the experimental setup. Negative extraction yields were obtained that could be explained by the effect of coal particles adsorbing compounds in the residue oil during the filtration step, which was performed at room temperature. To compensate for the adsorption process, the extraction yields were calculated with the extraction data at the lowest temperature as basis instead of the feed coal data. Extraction yields (d.a.f) of 20-52% were then obtained for the Waterberg coal and 3-12% for Brandspruit coal, with the highest extraction yield observed at 340°C and residence time of 12 min. In general, an increase in extraction yield with increase in temperature as well as with increase in residence time was observed. The shrinking-core model was used to describe the solvent extraction process and provided a good fit for the experimental data. Activation energies of 324 kJ/mol for Waterberg coal and 134 kJ/mol for Brandspruit coal were determined. Finally, it was found that most of the results of the continuous extraction experiments were in line with the results of the batch extraction experiments. In conclusion, the objectives of this investigation were met and form a good basis for further extraction research. In general it can be recommended to expand the conditions of this investigation to check the accuracy of the conclusions made. The most important areas for future research in developing a commercial-scale process include separation of residue coal from the extract, recycling of the solvent, and hydrogenation studies on the liquid extract product.
Thesis (M. Ing. (Chemical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Interfacially active reagents are utilized in metal solvent extraction processes and it is therefore important to understand the role of the liquid-liquid interface in the study of the kinetics and equilibria of extraction. The diffusion problems encountered in the traditional apparatus were overcome by using a high speed stirring apparatus. The microporous teflon membrane phase separator permitted more accurate measurements of interfacial areas, characterization of extraction kinetics of metal chelates, and a greater understanding of the phase separation mechanism. In contrast to the neutral ligands, the anionic ligand of dithizones and substituted dithizones showed significant interfacial adsorption at the chloroform/water interface as monitored spectro-photometrically. Equilibrium studies on p-halodithizones indicated that the adsorption constant increased as the substituent was altered from chloro to bromo to iodo, and with the distribution ratio of the ligand. Kinetic studies on dithizone and p-iododithizone with Ni(II) and Zn(II) indicated that the extent of participation of the interface in solvent extraction kinetics of these metal ions is dictated by the interfacial activity of the extractant and the mechanisms of the rate limiting step in the bulk aqueous and interfacial regions.

京都大学
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(エネルギー科学)
甲第20731号
エネ博第359号
新制||エネ||70(附属図書館)
京都大学大学院エネルギー科学研究科エネルギー応用科学専攻
(主査)教授 大垣 英明, 教授 松田 一成, 教授 河瀬 元明
学位規則第4条第1項該当
Doctor of Energy Science
Kyoto University
DFAM

The self-heating of coal is a serious problem that has always affected the coal industry. Self-heating has been studied around the world for more than 100 years by many investigators, yet no accurate method of predicting self-heating in coal has been developed. The objective of this research was to investigate the factors contributing to the self-heating in coal and to develop methods to predict the self-heating in coal and to develop methods to predict the self-heating susceptibility of various coals. A data bank containing analytical data, transportation histories, and results from laboratory tests was established at Western Kentucky University. A laboratory test that gave very encouraging results is an extraction test using sodium hydroxide solutions. Absorbances of the extract solutions from 15 coal samples obtained from barges of coal shipped from the Illinois Basin coal fields to the New Orleans area compared very well with the incidences of self-heating in the 15 barges. The fact that these coals were shipped in the summer when conditions are more favorable for self-heating to take place may have led to the strong correlation of the alkali extract solution absorbances and the final temperatures of the coal in the barges. Tests with coal samples obtained from barges shipped in the other seasons of the year did not yield very good correlations. The poor correlation between self-heating and the alkali extraction test absorbances was due to the lack of accurate temperature data, since the temperature of the coal at the time of loading was not available. The correlation of the absorbances of the extract solutions with parameters such as Btu/lb, oxygen, sulfate sulfur, and free-swelling index was very good.

Thesis(MTech( Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012
Platinum is a precious metal which may be processed under acidic conditions. Accordingly, the extraction of platinum from an acidic chloride media is of immense practical importance. In this study, the extraction of platinum was investigated in a Pt(IV)-HCl-Cyanex 921 matrix in order to establish the effect of temperature, extractant concentration, pH and the initial platinum concentration which had been used in the evaluated solvent extraction (SX) process. The extractant phase contained a mixture of Cyanex 921 and kerosene. In addition, the extraction mechanism of platinum, and the extracted species, are also described in the study, including the determination of the following: extraction ratio, extractant loading, distribution ratio, thermodynamic parameters, and the kinetic mechanism involved in the Pt(IV)-HCl-Cyanex 921 system used. Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-ES) was used to measure the platinum concentration in the aqueous phase with a mass balance being used to determine the concentration of platinum in the organic phase. Using a combination of the variables under investigation, the experiments which were evaluated indicated that it is possible to extract sufficient platinum chlorocomplex under the following conditions: pH of 1, Cyanex 921 concentration of 8% (v/v), temperature of 298 K and an initial platinum concentration of 55.22 mg/L. Under these conditions the maximum organic-phase loading of 253.9 mg/L was achieved as compared to the theoretical loading of 507.24 mg/L. The equilibrium loading of ~50% of the platinum chlorocomplex in the organic phase was achieved after 2400 seconds of reactor operation. In this case, a distribution ratio of 9.4 was achieved. This value was observed to be higher as compared to the other SX conditions evaluated in this study.

The application of bidentate N,N'-donor ligands, such as 2,2'-biimidazole (BIIMH2) and 2,2'-pyridylimidazole (PIMH) and (1H-benzimidazol-2yl)-N-methylmethanamine (BIMAH), in the solvent extraction of base metal ions from an acidic sulfate/sulfonate medium was investigated. PIMH and BIMAH showed selectivity for Ni(II) with the only interfering ion being Cu(II) in the pH range 1.2-1.8 but BIIMH2 lacked selectivity. The extraction patterns observed were influenced by stereochemical aspects, and this agreed well with the envisaged design of nickel(II)-specific extractants through stereochemical “tailor-making” which is proposed in this study. The extraction patterns were explained from a coordination chemistry point of view using spectroscopic analysis and single crystal X-ray analysis to diagnose the geometry of the complexes formed from the interaction of the base metal ions with the ligands. The formation of the trigonal bipyrimidal [Cu(PIM)2(H2O)](SO4) complex, with a water molecule coordinated, while nickel(II) forms a square planar bisPIMH was put forward as the reason for extraction pattern observed with this ligand. Cobalt(II) also forms a bisPIMH complex but has two water molecules coordinated in the formation of a distorted octahedral complex, and this results in less extractable species. A similar observation as for PIMH was noticed in BIMAH complexation reactions. The BIIMH2 complexes were found to be distorted octahedral, through the bis-coordination of BIIMH2 and two sulfonate ions, resulting in lack of pH-metric separation of the later 3d metal ions. The stability constants data was in agreement with what was observed in the solvent extraction and coordination chemistry studies for the three ligand systems.

A study has been made of the dynamic behaviour of a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant utilising pulsed solvent extraction columns. A flowsheet is presented and the choice of an extraction device is discussed. The plant is described by a series of modules each module representing an item of equipment. Each module consists of a series of differential equations describing the dynamic behaviour of the equipment. The model is written in PMSP, a language developed for dynamic simulation models. The differential equations are solved to predict plant behaviour with time. The dynamic response of the plant to a range of disturbances has been assessed. The interactions between pulsed columns have been demonstrated and illustrated. The importance of auxillary items of equipment to plant performance is demonstrated. Control of the reprocessing plant is considered and the effect of control parameters on performance assessed.

Woven textile fabrics were designed and constructed from hydrophilic and hydrophobic spun yarns to give planar substrates containing amphiphilic microchannels with defined orientations and locations. Polypropylene fibers were spun to give hydrophobic yarns, and the hydrophilic yarns were spun from a poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolyester. Water wicking rates into the fabrics were measured by video microscopy and longitudinal wicking tests from single drops and from reservoirs. Intra-yarn microchannels in the hydrophilic polyester yarns were shown to selectively transport aqueous fluids, with the flow path governed by the placement of the hydrophilic yarns in the fabric. Simultaneous wicking of an aqueous and hydrocarbon fluid into the hydrophilic and hydrophobic microchannels of an amphiphilic fabric was successfully demonstrated. The high degree of interfacial contact and micron-scale diffusion lengths of such co-flowing immiscible fluid streams inside amphiphilic fabrics suggest potential applications as highly scalable and affordable microcontactors for industrial liquid-liquid extractions. The efficiency of liquid-liquid extractions carried out with the amphiphilic fabrics was evaluated. Solvent extraction efficiencies were shown to reach up to ~98%.

Protactinium (Pa) is an actinide with chemical properties that are unique among the actinide elements. While the properties of other actinides are to a large extent understood, much of the chemistry of Pa remains a mystery. This thesis aims to illuminate new understanding of Pa chemistry through behavioral analysis using analytical techniques including liquid-liquid extraction (LL); extraction chromatography (ExC); and spectroscopic studies. Applications of radioanalytical chemistry and Pa: Through the research presented in this dissertation, we have developed a new way to separate uranium (U), thorium (Th), and Pa from complex environmental samples. The approach has been demonstrated for U-series dating of materials by alpha spectrometry. The method can be applied to geochronology, as well as to nuclear-forensic analysis of uranium-containing materials. In studies presented here, samples from a Paleolithic lake (Lake Bonneville, Utah USA) were analyzed for the radioactivity concentration of 230Th, 231Pa, 234U, 235U, and 238U by isotope dilution alpha spectrometry. Radioactivities were used to estimate of the time period of formation of the deposit from which the samples were collected. Ages were determined from the isotopics ratios; i.e., 231Pa/235U (40 ka); and 230Th/238U (39.5 ka) we found to be concordant with radiocarbon-14 dates (37 ka) obtained by collaborators at Brigham Young University. These studies inspired the development of a novel ExC resin to facilitate preparation of highly pure tracer isotope (233Pa) from a neptunium-237 (237Np) source. The material used for this development comprised 1-octanol adsorbed to a semi-porous resin material. The new approach greatly improved the yield and purity of 233Pa used for these chronometric analyses Developing an understanding of the chemistry of Pa at trace concentrations: The new-improved analytical described above led to the hypothesis that analytical separations approaches could be used to develop a more detailed understanding of Pa chemistry. Toward this goal, experiments were conducted to understand how the extraction of Pa is impacted by solution acidity [H+], anion concentration [A-; Cl-, NO3-], and extractant concentration ([2,6-dimethyl-4-heptanol, DIBC]). A full-factorial experimental design was employed to create a model that would allow for predictions in Pa behavior, as well as describe the nature of the observations. This model generated a multivariate equation that relates the distribution coefficient ([Pa] organic phase/ [Pa] aqueous phase) to each of the parameters ([H+], [A-], and [DIBC]). Further studies expanded to other alcohols (ROH) used as extractants (1-octanol, (2,6)-dimthyl-4-heptanol, and 2-ethyl-hexanol); and the results were analyzed using the slope analysis and comparative extraction studies using the model and compared to other actinide elements (Th, U, Np, americium (Am)) by both LL and ExC systems. These experiments revealed unique chemical behavior of Pa with respect to the other actinides. For example, it was found that Pa was the only actinide element to be extracted into the organic phase under acidic conditions (HCl and HNO3). Slope analysis experiments elucidated the stoichiometric identity of Pa species, with respect to the anion and extractant. Future studies will aim to identify the oxygen stoichiometry and species by X-ray absorption techniques. Investigations of the organic phase: In the final sections of this thesis, experiments are presented that are intended to determine if aggregation plays a key role in the extraction of Pa in systems containing 1-octanol and 2-ethyl-hexanol. This work is done in the absence of metal ions to control the dynamics of the organic phase, and are analyzed by tensiometry and Karl Fisher titrations with small angle X-ray scattering and molecular dynamic simulations. A key novel finding of these studies in that ROH molecules arrange in nanoscale aggregates that decrease the interfacial tension between the phases and extract a significant amount of water into the aggregates stabilized by a network of H-bonding. These studies lead to the hypothesis for future studies that Pa extraction is likely facilitated by solvation into the organic phase via ROH aggregates. The sum of the findings and observations of this dissertation provide insight into the chemical nature of Pa: (1) Novel extraction methods to obtain radiochemically pure fractions show that Pa can be efficiently extracted and separated from complex matrices to aid in chronometric analysis for geochronology or nuclear forensics; (2) Statistical modeling to develop a better understanding of the main effects of solvent extraction parameters; (3) Equilibrium analysis to improve our understanding of chemistry of Pa and how it is unique to the actinides; (4) Aggregation analysis to demonstrate a solvent centric understanding of extraction studies, these results lead to future experiments to investigate how organic phase aggregation can influence solvent extraction selectivity.

Bidentate imidazole-based extractants, 1-octylimidazole-2-aldoxime (OIMOX) and 1-octyl-2-(2′-pyridyl)imidazole (OPIM), along with dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (DNNSA) as a synergist, were investigated as potential selective extractants for Cu²⁺and Ni²⁺ respectively from base metals in a solvent extraction system. The study was extended to evaluate the sorption and separation of Ni²⁺ from other base metals in a solid-solution system using microspherical Merrifield resins and nanofibers functionalized with 2,2′-pyridylimidazole. Copper was effectively separated with OIMOX and DNNSA as extractants from nickel with ΔpH½ ≈1.05 and the extraction order of Cu²⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Cd²⁺> Co²⁺ was achieved as a function of pH. At pH 1.65 the extracted copper, from a synthetic mixture of the base metals reached 90.13(±0.90)%, and through a two-step extraction process 98.22(±0.29)% copper was recovered with negligible nickel and cobalt impurities. Stripping of the copper from the loaded organic phase using TraceSelect sulphuric acid at pH 0.35 yielded 96.60(±0.44)% of the loaded quantity after the second stage of stripping. The separation of Ni²⁺ from the borderline and hard acids; Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe2²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Mg2²⁺ and Ca²⁺ at a pH range of 0.5-3.5 with OPIM and DNNSA was acvieved to the tune of a ΔpH½≈ 1.6 with respect to cobalt from a sulfate and sulfate/chloride media. A three-stage counter-current extraction of Ni²⁺, at the optimized pH of 1.89, from a synthetic mixture of Ni²⁺, Co²⁺ and Cu²⁺, yielded 99.01(±1.79)%. The total co-extracted Cu²⁺ was 48.72(±0.24)% of the original quantity in the mixture, and it was 19.85(±0.28%) for Co²⁺. The co-extracted Cu²⁺ was scrubbed off from the loaded organic phase at pH≈8.5 by using an ammonium buffer, while co-extracted Co²⁺ was selectively and quantitatively stripped with H₂SO₄ at pH 1.64. The total recovery of Ni²⁺ by stripping at pH 0.32 was 94.05(±1.70)%. In the solid-liquid system, Ni²⁺ was separated from Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺ with the microspherical resins funtionalised with 2,2′-pyridylimidazole by a separation factor (β) in the range 22-45. Electrospun nanofibers as sorbents yielded high sorption capacity in the range of 0.97 - 1.45 mmol.g⁻¹ for the same metals ions. Thus, 1-octylimidazole-2-aldoxime (OIMOX), and1-octyl-2-(2′-pyridyl)imidazole (OPIM) can be effectively utilized alongside DNNSA as a co-extractant in the separation of Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ respectively from base metals in acidic sulfate medium in a solvent extraction process, and the latter as a selective ligand in the solid-liquid separation of Ni²⁺ from Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺.

When solutions of various metal 8-quinolinolates or beta-diketonates in an organic solvent were contacted with an aqueous phase and vigorously stirred to generate a large interfacial area, a reversible decrease in the organic phase concentration of the complex was observed. The magnitude of this decrease varied with interfacial area, solvent, temperature, and the nature and concentration of the complex. Analysis of the phenomenon using the Langmuir isotherm showed that the concentration change may be explained by adsorption of significant quantities of the complexes at the increased liquid-liquid interface generated by stirring. Such adsorption was found to complicate extraction kinetics measurements using the high-speed stirring technique when the product chelate is interfacially active, distorting the absorbance/time profile from which rate constants are derived, altering the interfacial area in the reaction vessel, and displacing reactant molecules from the interface. Neutral surfactants were observed to have similar effects. Chelate adsorption was also demonstrated to affect metal ion extraction equilibria, shifting the pH 1/2 value associated with a given metal ion. The magnitude of this shift was found to depend on the concentration of the chelate, its interfacial adsorption constant, and interfacial area. Differences in the pH 1/2 shift were shown to serve as a means of separating metal ions. Studies of the rate of nickel extraction by 8-quinolinols showed that the distribution constant and interfacial activity of the ligand are important factors governing the balance between bulk and interfacial pathways in the extraction. The interfacial rate constant for a given ligand was independent of organic solvent and was typically 10 times larger than the corresponding bulk value, indicating that the interface, although essentially aqueous in character, is a more conducive medium for the reaction of the metal ion and ligand.

ABSTRACT SOLVENT-FREE MICROWAVE EXTRACTION AND MICROWAVEASSISTED HYDRODISTILLATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM SPICES Bayramoglu, Beste M.S., Department of Food Engineering Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serpil Sahin Co-Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. S. Gü
lü
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mnü
September 2007, 130 pages The undesirable effects of conventional methods generated the need for economical and safe techniques in the extraction of essential oils. Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) are recently developed techniques, which are thought to overcome this problem. Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) were chosen in this study since they have high antimicrobial and antioxidant effects and are widely grown and consumed in Turkey. The objectives of this study were to examine the applicability of SFME in the extraction of essential oils from oregano and laurel, and MAHD in the extraction of rosemary essential oil. The effects of microwave power and extraction time on the yield, composition, and other quality parameters of the extracts were also investigated. Hydrodistillation was performed as control. SFME offered significantly higher essential oil yields (0.054 mL oil/g oregano) from oregano as compared to hydrodistillation (0.048 mL oil/g oregano). Conventional process time was reduced by 80%. Main aroma compound was thymol (650-750 mg thymol/mL oil). For laurel, no significant differences were obtained in yields (about 0.022 mL oil/g laurel) obtained by SFME and hydrodistillation. Process time was reduced by 55-60%. Main aroma compound was 1,8-cineole (630-730 mg 1,8-cineole/mL oil). In the case of rosemary, no significant differences were obtained in yields (about 0.026 mL oil/g rosemary) obtained by MAHD at 622 W and hydrodistillation. The process time was reduced by about 65%. Main aroma compounds were 1,8-cineole (430-500 mg 1,8-cineole/mL oil) and camphor (150-210 mg camphor/mL oil). Keywords: Solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME), Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD), Origanum vulgare L., Laurus nobilis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Dissertation (PhD(Eng))--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Coal pyrolysis liquors are a major source of phenolic compounds. The separation of the phenolic compounds from the neutral oils and nitrogen bases also present in the pyrolysis liquors is difficult due to low relative volatilities and the formation of azeotropes. The desired phenolic recovery and phenolic product purity of 99.5 % can therefore not be achieved by means of conventional separation processes. Alternative processes such as liquid-liquid extraction with various low-boiling solvents, mixtures of high-boiling solvents and extractive distillation have been investigated. Disadvantages of these processes include the high solvent ratios required, low recovery of the higher substituted phenolic compounds, inability to treat a wide-boiling feedstock in one process step and complex post-purification of the phenolic product. A solvent system consisting of a selective solvent, water as a co-solvent, and hexane as a countersolvent, is proposed. An industrial heavy naphtha stream was analysed and the most prevalent phenolic compounds, neutral oils and nitrogen bases identified. Three synthetic feed streams were compiled to represent the industrial stream, namely: 1. phenol + benzonitrile + aniline + mesitylene + 5-et-2-me-pyridine 2. m-cresol + o-tolunitrile + o-toluidine + pseudocumene + undecane + indene 3. 2,4-xylenol + 3,5-xylenol + 3,4-xylenol + indane + dodecane + naphthalene The stream containing phenol was used as a basis for solvent selection, with emphasis on the separation of phenol from benzonitrile. A variety of molecules containing hydroxyl and ether functional groups were identified as potential solvents by means of computer-aided molecular design using a genetic algorithm. Of the commercially available solvents tested on batch extraction scale, triethylene glycol achieved the highest phenol-benzonitrile, phenol-aniline and phenol-5-et-2-me-pyridine separation factors as well as the highest phenol recovery. It was concluded from the solvent selection process that effective solvents for the problem under investigation were those containing hydroxyl groups positioned on the molecule backbone in such a way as to facilitate hydrogen bonding with more than one phenolic molecule at a time. Two commercially unavailable solvents, 1,3-(ethoxy-2- hydroxy)-propane-2-01 and 1,3-(diethoxy-4-hydroxy)-propane-2-01 were therefore synthesised from ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol respectively. The molecular structures of these two solvents are analogous to that of triethylene glycol, and contain an additional hydroxyl group. The performance of the synthesised solvents was evaluated and compared to that of triethylene glycol on the basis of m-cresol-otolunitrile, 2,4-xylenol - o-tolunitrile, and 2,4-xylenol - o-toluidine separation factors and phenolic recoveries achieved by means of batch extraction tests. 1,3-(Diethoxy-4- hydroxy)-propane-2-01 yielded higher phenolic recoveries, but lower separation factors than did triethylene glycol. Triethylene glycol was therefore selected for further process development as it is commercially available. A series of batch extractions were carried out on each of the synthetic feed streams using the proposed solvent system. For phenol and m-cresol, recoveries in excess of 99% were obtained in a single stage. Recoveries in excess of 98% were obtained for the xylenol isomers. It was found that the recoveries of the xylenol isomers were more sensitive to changes in the solvent ratios. The separation of phenolic compounds from paraffins, naphthalene, indene, indane and the alkyl-substituted benzenes was trivial using the proposed solvent system. Highly satisfactory separation of the phenolic compounds from pyridines and aromatic nitriles was achieved. The separation of phenol from aniline, although satisfactory, was not as good. The optimum solvent to feed, water to solvent and hexane to feed ratios were identified as being 3.0, 5.0 and 0.25 respectively. Binary interaction parameters for the NRTL equation were obtained by regression of the equilibrium data from the batch extraction tests. The NRTL model fitted the equilibrium data satisfactorily. The proposed solvent system was tested on pilot plant scale. The performance of the extraction column was optimised using a synthetic feed stream consisting of m-cresol, p-cresol, aniline and o-tolunitrile. The optimum solvent ratios and operating parameters were then implemented in further tests on an industrial heavy naphtha stream. A phenolic product purity of 99.75% was achieved for this stream. The corresponding phenolic recovery was in excess of 91 %. The proposed separation process, including solvent recovery was simulated using the NRTL model with the experimentally determined interaction parameters. A single stream consisting of all the components used in the batch extraction tests was specified as the feed stream to the simulated process. A final simulated phenolic product purity of 99.5% and recovery in excess of 94% was obtained after solvent recovery. The optimum solvent to feed, hexane to feed and water to solvent ratios were determined as being 3.0, 5.0 and 0.25 in both the pilot plant tests and the simulated extraction process. It can be concluded that the proposed separation process is successful in recovering high purity phenolic compounds from tar liquors. Further development of the process has commenced in industry.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die pirolise van steenkool is 'n belangrike bron van fenoliese verbindings. Die skeiding van die fenoliese komponente vanuit die neutrale olies ook teenwoordig in die pirolise mengsel word bemoeilik deur lae relatiewe vlugtighede en die vorming van aseotrope. Dit is dus nie moontlik om die gewenste hoë fenoliese herwinning en fenoliese produk suiwerheid van 99.5% d.m.v. konvensionele distilleerprosesse te behaal nie. Alternatiewe prosesse soos ekstraktiewe distillasie en vloeistof-vloeistof ekstraksie met verskeie laagkokende oplosmiddels en mengsels van hoogkokende oplosmiddels is al ondersoek. Die hoë oplosmiddel verhoudings wat benodig word, lae herwinning van die hoërgesubstitueerde fenoliese verbindings, onvermoë om in een prosesstap 'n prosesstroom met In wye kookgebied te behandel en die ingewikkelde suiwering van die fenoliese produk tel onder die nadele van hierdie prosesse. 'n Oplosmiddelsisteem wat In selektiewe oplosmiddel, water as polêre oplosmiddel en heksaan as teenoplosmiddel bevat is as 'n alternatiewe proses voorgestel. 'n Industriële swaar nafta prosesstroom is ge-analiseer en die fenoliese verbindings, neutrale olies en stikstofbasisse met die hoogste konsentrasies daarin geïdentifiseer. Drie sintetiese strome is op grond van hierdie analise saamgestelom die industriële stroom te verteenwoordig: 1. fenol + benzonitriel + anilien + mesitileen + 5-et-2-me-piridien 2. m-kresol + o-tolunitriel +o-toluïdien + pseudokumeen + undekaan + indeen 3. 2,4-xilenol + 3,5-xilenol + 3,4-xilenol + indaan + dodekaan + naftaleen Die fenolbevattende stroom is as basis vir oplosmiddelkeuring gebruik, met die klem op die skeiding van fenol vanuit benzonitriel. Verskeie molekules wat hidroksie- en eter funksionele groepe bevat is as potensiële oplosmiddels uitgeken d.m.v. rekenaargesteunde molekulêre ontwerp met In genetiese algoritme. Hierdie oplosmiddels is d.m.v. enkellading ekstraksie toetse geëvalueer. Die kommersieel beskikbare oplosmiddel wat die hoogste fenol-benzonitriel, fenol-anilien en fenol-5-et-2-me-piridien skeidingsfaktore, sowel as die hoogste fenol herwinning op enkellading ekstraksie toetsvlak gelewer het, was triëtileenglikol. Vanuit die proses vir die keuse van 'n oplosmiddel was dit duidelik dat, vir hierdie skeidingsprobleem, die mees effektiewe oplosmiddels dié is met hidroksiel groepe wat so geposisioneer is in die oplosmiddel molekuul dat dit waterstofbindings kan vorm met meer as een fenoliese molekuul. Twee oplosmiddels wat nie kommersiëel beskikbaar is nie, 1,3-(etoksie-2-hidroksie)-propaan-2-01 en 1,3-(diëtoksie-4-hidroksie)-propaan-2- ol, is gesintetiseer vanuit etileenglikol en diëtileenglikol onderskeidelik. Die molekulêre strukture van hierdie twee oplosmiddels is analoog aan dié van triëtileenglikol en bevat 'n addisionele hidroksielgroep. Die effektiwiteit van die gesintetiseerde oplosmiddels is geëvalueer en met dié van triëtileenglikol vergelyk op grond van rn-kresol-o-tolunltriel, 2,4-xilenol - o-tolunitriel en 2,4-xilenol - o-toluïdien skeidingsfaktore en fenoliese herwinning behaal d.m.v. enkellading ekstraksie toetse. Hoër fenoliese herwinning en laer skeidingsfaktore is behaal met 1,3-(diëtoksie-4-hidroksie)-propaan-2-01as met triëtileenglikol. Triëtileenglikol is dus gekies vir verdere prosesontwikkeling aangesien dit kommersiëel beskikbaar is. Enkellading ekstraksie toetse is op elk van die sintetiese voerstrome uitgevoer met die voorgestelde oplosmiddelsisteem. Fenol- en m-kresol herwinning van meer as 99% en xilenol herwinning van meer as 98% is behaal. Die skeiding van fenoliese verbindings vanuit paraffiene, naftaleen, indeen, indaan en die alkielgesubstitueerde benseenverbindings is triviaal met die voorgestelde oplosmiddelsisteem. Hoogs aanvaarbare skeiding van fenoliese verbindings van die piridiene en aromatiese nitriele is vermag. Die skeiding van fenol en anilien is nie so goed nie, maar is nog steeds aanvaarbaar. Die optimum oplosmiddel tot voer, water tot oplosmiddel en heksaan tot voer is as 3.0, 5.0 en 0.25 vasgestel. Binêre interaksie parameters vir die NRTL vergelyking is verkry d.m.v. regressie van die ewewigsdata wat deur die enkelladingstoetse gegenereer is. Die NRTL model het die ewewigsdata goed gepas. Die voorgestelde oplosmiddelsisteem is op loodsaanlegvlak getoets. Die werking van die ekstraksie kolom is ge-optimeer met In sintetiese voerstroom wat uit m-kresol, pkresol, anilien en o-tolunitriel bestaan. Die optimum oplosmiddel verhoudings en bedryfstoestande is verder toegepas op 'n industriële swaar naftastroom. 'n Fenoliese suiwerheid van 99.75% is behaal met hierdie stroom. Die ooreenkomstige fenoliese herwinning was groter as 91%. Die voorgestelde skeidingsproses, insluitende oplosmiddelherwinning is gesimuleer met die NRTL model wat op die eksperimentele data gepas is. 'n Enkele stroom wat bestaan het uit al die komponente wat in die enkelladingstoetse gebruik is, is as die voerstroom tot die gesimuleerde proses gespesifiseer. 'n Finale gesimuleerde fenoliese produksuiwerheid van 99.5% en herwinning groter as 94% is na oplosmiddelherwinning behaal. Die optimum oplosmiddel tot voer, heksaan tot voer en water tot oplosmiddel verhoudings is vasgestel as 3.0, 5.0 en 0.25 onderskeidelik vir beide die gesimuleerde proses en die loodsaanleg toetse. Die voorgestelde skeidingsproses kan dus 'n hoogs suiwer fenoliese produk uit pirolisestrome herwin. Verdere ontwikkeling van die proses is in die industrie begin.

This thesis investigates the mode of action of cationic reagents in the recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) by anion exchange solvent extraction. Industry uses a range of extractants to achieve efficient concentration and separation of PGMs in hydrometallurgical processes, but an understanding of the processes at a molecular level is limited and restricts the options to improve efficiency. The research, sponsored in part by Johnson Matthey and Anglo American, explores two different aspects of the mode of action of reagents used to recover chloride and platinum. Chapter 1 reviews the extraction of chloridometalates in hydrometallurgy and other methods used to recover PGMs. The chapter also covers current ideas on whether formation of outer-sphere anion-cation molecular assemblies or whether larger supramolecular aggregates are responsible for the extraction of PGMs. These two separate routes of study can be investigated by various computational and experimental methods, which are discussed in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, the model systems chosen to develop the methodologies utilised throughout the thesis are presented. The development involves the extraction of chloride ions by tributyl-phosphate (TBP) and then is extended to extraction of PGM chloridometalates in Chapter 4. Computational methods are used to probe the atomistic and supramolecular theories in predicting the most likely assemblies which will be formed in the transfer of anions between the aqueous and organic phase. Slope analysis and the determination of the contents of the organic phase is used to validate computational models, along with spectroscopic techniques to determine shape and size of assemblies formed during extraction. The application of these methodologies to an amide extractant is discussed in Chapter 5. Computational methods predict the probability of formation of specific complex assemblies during the extraction of PtCl62- by protonated forms of the amide. Determination of the stoichiometry involved in formation of the complex assemblies by slope analysis is reported along with analysis of water, metal and chloride content to confirm the computational model. Final conclusions on all systems explored within the thesis and suggestions for future work are presented in the final chapter. The combination of experimental and computational methods are shown to be very efficient in defining mechanisms of extraction, involving determination of structures formed during the process and how and why they form.

The organic compounds found adsorbed on coal fly ash have been a cause for concern since the early days of the industrial revolution. A vast majority of the compounds reported as being adsorbed on the ash are polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study represents an attempt to evaluate the parameters involved in the extraction, detection and quantitation of these organic compounds. Though no definite conclusions could be reached as to the most efficient method of extraction, interesting results were obtained with regarding the choice of the solvent and the temperature programming on the GC/MS used for analysis. The solvent of choice appears to be methylene chloride. A slow heating rate appears to give better results as compared to one in which the components elute out in a short time.

Thesis (MSc (Chemistry and Polymer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
This study involved the preliminary investigation into the potential liquid-liquid extraction of Os(IV/III) from hydrochloric acid solutions with ligands of type N,N-dialkyl-N′-acyl(aroyl)thioureas (HL), and ultimate selective pre-concentration and separation of Os(IV/III) from the other platinum group metals. Investigations have also been focused towards understanding the speciation of Os(IV) in hydrochloric acid medium. A series of osmium complexes with ligands of type HL have been synthesised and characterised. This has been done with a view towards understanding the interaction of Os(IV/III) with the HL ligands, and what the resultant stereochemical influences would be on the solvent extraction capabilities of the ligands. The structures of two novel osmium-containing compounds have been verified by means of X-ray crytallography. Firstly, the ion pair OsCl6[(C4H9)4N]2 was obtained as a result of liquid-liquid extraction experiments. Secondly, the only known example (in our knowledge) of an Os(III) - N,N-dialkyl-N′- aroylthiourea complex, in this case tris(N,N-diethyl-N’-benzoylthioureato)osmium(III), was successfully synthesised and characterised. Lastly, preliminary studies into the substitution reactions of ruthenium-polypyridine complexes with N,N-dialkyl-N′-acyl(aroyl)thioureas were conducted. A series of cis-bis(2,2′-bipyridine)(N,N-dialkyl-N′-acyl(aroyl)thioureato)ruthenium(II) complexes have been successfully synthesised and characterised. The electronic absorption behaviour of the formed complexes have been investigated in detail via UV-Vis spectrophotometry.

The US Department of Energy in 2010 has identified several rare earth elements as critical materials to enable clean technologies. As part of ongoing research in REEs (rare earth elements) recovery from coal sources, the University of Kentucky has designed, developed and is demonstrating a ¼ ton/hour pilot-scale processing plant to produce high-grade REEs from coal sources. Due to the need to control critical variables (e.g. pH, tank level, etc.), process control is required. To ensure adequate process control, a study was conducted on leaching and solvent extraction control to evaluate the potential of achieving low-cost REE recovery in addition to developing a process control PLC system. The overall operational design and utilization of Six Sigma methodologies is discussed. Further, the application of the controls design, both procedural and electronic for the control of process variables such as pH is discussed. Variations in output parameters were quantified as a function of time. Data trends show that the mean process variable was maintained within prescribed limits. Future work for the utilization of data analysis and integration for data-based decision-making will be discussed.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study an economical, environmentally friendly, selective and efficient process for the extraction and recovery of [AuCl4]- from aqueous acidic chloride-rich solutions, particularly those aqueous solutions having low concentrations of the precious metal complexes has been investigated. Functionalized poly(styrene-co-maleimide) (PSMI) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal imidization of the poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) copolymer with 3-N,N-dimethylaminopropylamine. Stable water-based dispersions were obtained containing spherical, monodisperse PSMI nanoparticles with a narrow size-distribution and average diameters of 50 ± 5 nm. The specific surface area of the bulk PSMI nanoparticles is 88.1 ± 2.2 m2/g with an average pore diameter of 82.3 Å. 13C NMR, FTIR and elemental analyses confirmed the successful and complete conversion of PSMA into the PSMI derivative. The functionalized PSMI nanoparticles synthesized were investigated as a novel anion-exchange material for the extraction of [AuCl4]- ions from aqueous acidic solutions. Batch sorption studies were carried out as a function of various parameters, such as initial gold concentration, PSMI mass, contact time and agitation rate. The [AuCl4]- extraction occurred with extremely fast sorption kinetics and is dependent on the rate of agitation during the batch sorption process. The functionalized PSMI nanoparticles show a maximum gold loading capacity of 1.76 mmol/g (347.7 mg/g). Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to analyze the experimental sorption data. The best model describing the sorption process is given by the Langmuir model. Desorption efficiencies of about 80 % and 93 % were obtained using acidified thiourea (0.25 M thiourea/2 M HCl) and a mixture of 10 M HNO3/0.5 HCl as elutant solutions, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis unambiguously confirms that the immobilized gold species exists in several oxidation states of 0, +I and +III on the PSMI nanoparticles. This proves that the [AuCl4]- ions initially present in the gold feed solutions unfortunately are subject to a reduction phenomenon on the surface of the functionalized PSMI nanoparticles. The existence of the various gold species contributed significantly to poor desorption efficiencies. In addition to PSMI nanoparticles, micro- to millimeter size PSMI resin beads was prepared by an electrospray methodology. This allows for a wide range of PSMI spherical and quasi-spherical bead diameters of shape to be prepared by manipulation of the experimental conditions employed during the electrospray process, such as the concentration of the PSMI in solution, the capillary tip-to-collector distance, flow rate and the applied voltage. 13C NMR and FTIR spectroscopy analyses show that the electrospray methodology allows PSMI resin beads preparation without any change in chemical composition of the PSMI material. Surface area and porosity analysis shows that 450 μm and 1620 μm PSMI beads selected for use in the gold extraction experiments are microporous and have BET specific surface areas of 2.8 ± 0.4 m2/g and 2.0 ± 0.1 m2/g, respectively. Micro- to millimeter size PSMI resin beads of 450 μm and 1620 μm diameter were tested as potential anion-exchange resins for the extraction of [AuCl4]- from aqueous acidic solutions. The time-dependent studies reveal that the extent of gold uptake increases with an increase in contact time and is dependent on the gold concentration in the [AuCl4]- feed solutions. A maximum loading capacity of 120.7 mg/g and 98.16 mg/g was attained for the 450 μm and 1620 μm resin beads, respectively. The experimental sorption data followed a linear trend consistent with a Freundlich sorption model. This sorption trend for [AuCl4]- suggests that a multi-layer sorption process predominates. Desorption of immobilized gold species from the loaded PSMI resin beads was investigated using various elutants such as HCl, HNO3, thiourea, NaCN and NaOH solutions. The best results were obtained using a mixture of 10 M HNO3/0.5 M HCl as elutant with a desorption efficiency of about 97%. Finally, superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with a high degree of crystallinity and phase purity were synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts. The average diameters of the obtained Fe3O4 nanoparticles were about 7 – 8 nm. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles were coated with oleic acid surfactant molecules and used as seed particles for the preparation of 50 nm diameter magnetic PSMI nanoparticles via an in situ imidization reaction. TEM analysis confirmed that the magnetically responsive PSMI nanoparticles consist of magnetite core-polymer shell structure, although more work is required to perfect such materials.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is ‘n ekonomiese, omgewings vriendelike, seleketiewe en effektiewe proses vir die ekstraksie en herwinning van [AuCl4]- uit suur chloried-ryke oplossings, spesifiek oplossings van lae konsentrasies van edel metal komplekse was bestudeer. Gefunksionaliseerde poli(stireen-ko-maleïmied) (PSMI) nanopartikels was gesintetiseer deur middel van termiese imidisasie van die poli(stireen-ko-maleïk anhidried) kopolimeer met 3-N,N-dimetielaminopropielamien. Stabiele dispersies in water was gevind wat soos sweriese mono-disperse PSMI nanopartikels met ‘n noue partikel-grootte verspreiding met ‘n gemiddelde deursnee van 50 ± 5 nm. Die spesifieke oppervlak area van die massa PSMI nanopartikels is 88.1 ± 2.2 m2/g met ‘n gemiddelde porie-grootte van 82.3 Å. 13C NMR, FTIR en elementêre analiese bevestig die suksesvolle en volledige omskakeling van PSMA na PSMI. Die gefunksionaliseerde PSMI nanopartikels was bestudeer as ‘n nuwe anion-uitruil material vir die ekstraksie van [AuCl4]- ione uit suur oplossings. Stel sorpsie studies was uitgevoer as ‘n funksie van verskeie parameters soos onder andere die goud konentrasie in oplossing, PSMI massa, kontak tyd en ‘n mengings tempo. Die [AuCl4]- ekstraksie gebeur met ‘n geweldige sorpsie kinetika en is afhanklik van die mengings tempo gedurende die stel sorpsie proses. Die gefunksionaliseerde PSMI nanopartikels het ‘n maksimum goud sorpsie kapsiteit van 1.76 mmol/g (347.7 mg/g). Langmuir en Freundlich isoterm modelle was gepas en geanaliseer op die experimentele sorpsie data waarvan die Langmuir isoterm model die data die beste gepas het. De-sorpsie effektiwiteit van ongeveer 80 % en 93% was vekry vir die aangesuurde thiourea (0.25 M thiourea/2 M HCl) en ‘n mengsel van 10 M HNO3/0.5 M HCl as elueer oplossings, onderskeidelik. X-straal foto-elektron spektroskopie (XPS) analiese bevestig ongetwydeld die geimmobileerde goud spesies in oksidasietoestande van 0, +I, en +III op die PSMI nanopartikels. Hierdie is bewyse dat die [AuCl4]- oorspronklik teenwoordig in die goud oplossings is onderhewe auto-reduksie fenomeen op die oppervlak van die gefunksionalieerde PSMI nanopartikels. Die bestaan van verskeie goud spesies dra by tot die power de-sorpsie effektiwiteit van ge-immobiliseerde goud. Bykomend tot die nanopartikels is mikro- tot millimeter grootte PSMI partikels voorberei met ‘n elektro-sproei proses. Hierdie metode stel ons instaat om ‘n wye reeks sferiese en quasi-sferiese PSMI partikel se deersnee voorteberei. Deur die manupulasie van die eksperimentele kondisies gedurende die elektro-sproei proses, soos die konsentrasie van die PSMI in oplossing, die kapilêre punt-tot-ontvanger afstant, vloeispoed en die toegepasde potensiaal. 13C KMR en FTIR spectroskopiese analiese wys dat die elektro-sproei proses die PSMI partikel bereiding toelaat sonder enige veranderinge in die chemiese samestelling van die PSMI materiaal. Oppervlak area en porie-grootte analise wys dat 450lksdfhld en dskl jmm partikels gebruik in die goud ekstraksie eksperimente is mikro-porieës en het spesifieke oppervlak-areas van 2.8 ± 0.4 m2/g en 2.0 ± 0.1 m2/g onderskeidelik. Mikro- tot millimeter grootte poli(stireen-ko-maleimied) (PSMI) partikels van 450 μm en 1620 μm deursnee was getoets as potensieele anion-uitruilings-hars vir die ekstraksie van [AuCl4]- vanuit suur oplossings. Die tyd afhanklike studies gee aanduiding dat die mate van goud opname toeneem met ‘n toename in kontak-tyd en is afhanklik van die goud konsentrasie in die [AuCl4]- oplossings. ‘n Maksimum opname-kapasiteit van 120.7 mg/g en 98.2 mg/g was verkry vir die 450 μm en 1620 μm hars partikels onderskeidelik. Die eksperimentele sorpsie-data volg ‘n lineêre neiging in ooreenstemming met die Freundlich model. Die sorpsie neiging van [AuCl4]- dui aan dat ‘n meervuldige laag sorpsie proses domineer. De-sorpsie van die geimobiliseerde goud spesies vanaf die PSMI hars partikels was bestudeer deur gebruik te maak van verskeie elueermiddels soos HCl, HNO3, thiourea, NaCN en NaOH oplossings. Die beste resultate is verkry deur ‘n mengsel te gebruik van 10M HNO3/0.5M HCl as elueermiddel met n de-sorpsie effektiviteit van ongeveer 97%. Superparamagnetiese magnetiet (Fe3O4) nanopartikels met ‘n hoë graad van kristaliniteit en fase-reinheid was voorberei deur ‘n chemiese ko-neerslagvorming van Fe2+ en Fe3+ soute. Die gemiddelde deursnee van die Fe3O4 nanopartikels was ongeveer 7 – 8 nm. Die Fe3O4 nanopartikels was omhul met oleic suur benatter molekules wat gebruik word as saadjies vir voorbereiding van 50 nm deursnee-magnetiese PSMI nanopartikels deur middel van ‘n imidisasie reaksie. TEM analiese bevestig dat die magnetiese PSMI partikels nanopartikels bestaan uit ‘n magnetiet-kern polimeer-skil struktuur.

Le retour à la naturalité a favorisé le développement des compléments alimentaires à base de ressources végétales qui apparaissent comme un réservoir quasi-infini de nutriments et de substances naturelles bioactives. Ceci fait de l’extraction solide/liquide une étape incontournable au sein des industries intéressées par ce type de molécules. Avec les préoccupations environnementale set sociétales, il est devenu nécessaire d’inventer et développer de nouveaux procédés qui répondent aux six principes de l’éco-extraction. Cette démarche a totalement inspiré cette thèse qui a pour principal objectif le développement d’une technique d’éco-extraction assistée par ultrasons en substitution de la technique conventionnelle. Ce travail a permis de montrer qu’il était possible d’intensifier l’extraction de composés d’intérêt en utilisant les ultrasons avec une meilleure sélectivité et de meilleurs rendements d’extraction. Une attention particulière a été accordée à la compréhension des mécanismes d’action des ultrasons via une étude macroscopique et microscopique approfondie des structures végétales. Cette investigation a prouvé que les ultrasons agissent différemment en fonction des structures végétales et de leurs propriétés morphologiques et chimiques qui leur confèrent un degré de résistance plus ou moins important face à l’action des ultrasons. Partant de ces résultats, l’étude macroscopique et microscopique a été définie comme un outil de décision pour une extraction ciblée. Cette variabilité a été aussi constatée à l’échelle industrielle prouvant davantage l’importance de l’analyse microscopique. Enfin, le procédé d’extraction par ultrasons a été adopté à l’échelle industrielle pour ses performances d’extraction et pour son empreinte environnementale significativement réduite par rapport au procédé CV. Ce travail a également conduit à des travaux complémentaires sur l’étude du potentiel de solubilisation des produits naturels en vue d’une utilisation pour l’extraction de composés végétaux difficiles à solubiliser dans l’eau. Des résultats prometteurs ont été obtenus en termes de pouvoirs de solubilisation et d’extraction notamment à partir de la matière végétale broyée. Les résultats de cette dernière partie soulèvent cependant des questions qui pourraient faire l’objet de futures recherches et de perspectives pour ce travail qui sont principalement liés à l’étude des problèmes liés au changement du solvant et au prétraitement de la matière première et de la faisabilité industrielle de ce nouveau procédé
With recent trends in the increasing interest to environmental, economic and safety considerations,extraction techniques have largely focused on finding solutions with sustainable and green values toimplement in food processing, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. In this context, new “green”extraction techniques were developed such as Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE). The mainobjective of this thesis is industrial implementation of this new process in substitution to theconventional (CV) process. It has been shown in this work that the extraction of compounds ofinterest from rosemary and other plant matrices could be intensified using ultrasound, and thatdifferent performance gain could be achieved according to the plant matrix structural properties.Indeed, macroscopic and microscopic investigation of untreated and treated raw materials provedthat US act through different mechanisms and its resulting impacts can be extremely limited by plantstructural morphological and chemical properties, especially those of the specialized structures.Significant variability in performance gain was also observed at the industrial scale. Overall, USappears as a promising technique with a significant performance gain in terms of extraction yield andselectivity. Moreover, this process presents low environmental footprint compared to the CV one.Finally, it has been shown that natural products, such as honey and fruit juices, can be used toimprove solubilization and extraction of molecules that are poorly soluble in water. Encouragingresults were obtained in terms of solubilization and extraction abilities, especially from ground rawmaterials. However, these results raise questions related to the feasibility of industrialimplementation of this new process

Le comportement des actinides dans l’environnement (site miniers, sites de stockagedes déchets et sites contaminés) dépend de l’interaction de ces éléments avec des ligandsprésents dans les différents milieux (air, sol, eaux superficielles et souterraines). Lesinteractions des actinides avec des ligands organiques polyfonctionnels peuvent piéger ceséléments ou au contraire favoriser leur migration.Dans ce travail, le comportement d’actinides aux degrés d’oxydation III, V et VI ensolution aqueuse a été étudié en présence de deux ligands polyaminocarboxyliques : l’acidenitrilotriacétique (NTA) et l’acide iminodiacétique (IDA).L’étude de la complexation du protactinium pentavalent par NTA et IDA a été conduiteselon une double approche : une étude thermodynamique réalisée par extraction par solvant,avec le protactinium à l’échelle des traces (C233Pa < 10-10 M) et une étude structurale, avecle protactinium en quantité pondérable (C231Pa ≈ 10-3 M), réalisée par Spectroscopied’Absorption des rayons X (SAX) et complétée par des calculs de chimie quantique.Les variations du coefficient de distribution de Pa(V) dans le systèmeTTA/Toluène/ HClO4 / NaClO4 /Pa(V)/ligand en fonction de la concentration de ligands àplusieurs températures et/ou acidités ont permis de déterminer la stœchiométrie maximale et lacharge moyenne des complexes Pa(V)-NTA et Pa(V)-IDA ainsi que les constantes de formationassociées à chaque espèce. Une stœchiométrie maximale de 2 a été observée pour les deuxsystèmes. Pour le système Pa-NTA, les deux complexes successifs prédominants dans la phaseaqueuse sont une espèce neutre PaO(NTA) pour le complexe (1:1) et une espèce de charge -3pour le complexe (1:2) qui pourrait correspondre à PaO(NTA) -:R. Une étude complémentairepar Electrophorèse Capillaire couplé à un spectromètre de masse (EC-ICP-MS) a permis deconfirmer la charge (-3) du complexe Pa − (NTA)-. Pour le système Pa-IDA, les résultats ontmontré la formation successive de deux complexes positifs PaO(IDA)3+ et PaO(IDA)+2.Lagéométrie de coordination et les distances interatomiques des complexes de stœchiométriemaximale ont été déterminés à partir de calculs DFT ou de dynamique moléculaire.L’étude de la complexation d’actinides trivalents (Am et Cf) et hexavalents (Np et Pu)par IDA a été réalisée par EC-ICP-MS. Les variations de la mobilité électrophorétique globaleen fonction de la concentration en IDA-R ont permis de déterminer les constantes de formationdes actinides avec IDA. Les constantes de formation des complexes de stœchiométrie (1:1)sont rapportées pour Am (III) et Cf (III). Concernant les complexes Np (VI) et Pu (VI) avecl'acide iminodiacétique, les constantes de formation des complexes de stœchiométriques (1:1)et (1:2) ont été déterminées
The behaviour of actinides in the environment (in the surroundings of uranium miningsites, waste storage or contaminated sites) depends on the interaction of these elements with theorganic ligands present in these different systems. The interactions of actinides withpolyfunctional organic ligands could trap the element or inversely, favour their migration.In this work, the behaviour of actinides (III, V and VI) in aqueous solution was studied in thepresence of two polyaminocarboxylic ligands: nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and iminodiaceticacid (IDA).The study of the complexation of pentavalent protactinium by NTA and IDA was conductedaccording to a dual approach. A thermodynamic study carried out by liquid-liquid extraction inthe system TTA/Toluene/HClO4/NaClO4/Pa(V)/ligand, with protactinium at tracer scale (C233Pa< 10−10 M), has been implemented in order to determine the stoichiometry, the mean charge ofcomplexes and the associated formation constants. A structural approach with protactiniumin weighable quantity (C231Pa≈ 10−3 M) was conducted in order to determine the coordination geometry of complexes and interatomic distances.The variations of the distribution coefficient D of Pa(V) as a function of nitrilotriacetateconcentration enabled to determine that the maximum stoichiometry for the Pa-NTA and Pa-IDA systems is 2. For the Pa-NTA system, the two successive complexes predominant in theaqueous phase are a neutral species for (1:1) complex PaO(NTA) and charge -3 for the (1:2)which may correspond to PaO(NTA) -:R. In addition, Capillary Electrophoresis InductivelyCoupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry experiments have been performed to confirm the charge (-3) for the maximum stoichiometry complex. For the Pa-IDA system, the results have shownthe successive formation of two positive complexes PaO(IDA)3+ and PaO(IDA)+2. Optimized structures of Pa-NTA and Pa-IDA complexes were established using DFT or molecular dynamics calculations.The complexation of trivalent (Am and Cf) and hexavalent (Np and Pu) actinides with IDA was performed by Capillary Electrophoresis coupled with Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry(CE-ICP-MS). The variations of overall electrophoresis mobility of actinides species as function of CIDA2 allow the determination of the formation constants of actinides IDAcomplexes. The formation constants of complexes with (1:1) stoichiometry are reported forAm(III) and Cf(III). Concerning the complexes Np(VI) and Pu(VI) with iminodiacetic acid,formation constants of (1:1) and (1:2) stoichiometry complexes were determined

Die Entwicklung neuer Verfahren für die Rückführung von Palladium aus Altmaterialien, wie gebrauchten Autoabgaskatalysatoren, in den Stoffstromkreislauf ist sowohl aus ökologischer als auch ökonomischer Sicht erstrebenswert. In dieser Arbeit wurden neue Flüssig-Flüssig- und Fest-Flüssig-Extraktionsmittel entwickelt, mit denen Palladium(II) aus einer oxidierenden, salzsauren Laugungslösung, die neben Palladium auch Platin und Rhodium sowie zahlreiche unedle Metalle enthält, zurückgewonnen werden kann. Die neuen Extraktionsmittel ungesättigte monomere 1,2-Dithioether und oligomere Ligandenmischungen mit vicinalen Dithioether-Einheiten – sind im Gegensatz zu vielen in der Literatur aufgeführten Extraktionsmitteln hochselektiv. Aufgrund ihrer geometrischen und elektronischen Präorganisation bilden sie mit Palladium(II) stabile quadratisch-planare Chelatkomplexe. Für die Entwicklung des Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktionsmittels wurde eine Reihe von ungesättigten 1,2-Dithioetherliganden dargestellt, welche auf einer starren 1,2-Dithioethen-Einheit, die in ein variierendes elektronenziehendes Grundgerüst eingebettet ist, basieren und polare Seitenketten besitzen. Neben der Bestimmung der Kristallstrukturen der Liganden und ihrer Palladiumdichlorid-Komplexe wurden die elektro- und photochemischen Eigenschaften, die Komplexstabilität und das Verhalten in Lösung untersucht. In Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktionsuntersuchungen konnte gezeigt werden, dass einige der neuen Liganden industriell genutzten Extraktionsmitteln durch eine schnellere Einstellung des Extraktionsgleichgewichts überlegen sind. Anhand von Kriterien, die für eine industrielle Nutzbarkeit entscheidend sind, wie: guter Oxidationsbeständigkeit, einer hohen Extraktionsausbeute (auch bei hohen Salzsäurekonzentrationen der Speiselösung), schneller Extraktionskinetik und einer hohen Selektivität für Palladium(II) wurde aus der Reihe der sechs Liganden ein geeignetes Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktionsmittel ausgewählt: 1,2-Bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzen. Mit diesem wurde ein praxisnahes Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktionssystem entwickelt. Nach der schrittweisen Adaption der wässrigen Phase von einer Modelllösung hin zu der oxidierenden, salzsauren Laugungslösung erfolgte die Auswahl eines geeigneten großtechnisch, einsetzbaren Lösemittels (1,2-Dichlorbenzen) und eines effizienten Reextraktionsmittels (0,5 M Thioharnstoff in 0,1 M HCl). Die hohe Palladium(II)-Selektivität dieses Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktionssystems konnte verifiziert und seine Wiederverwendbarkeit und Praxistauglichkeit unter Beweis gestellt werden. Weiterhin wurde gezeigt, dass sich beim Kontakt mit oxidierenden Medien aus dem Dithioether 1,2-Bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzen geringe Mengen des Thioethersulfoxids 1-(2-Methoxyethylsulfinyl)-2-(2-methoxyethylthio)benzen bilden. Dieses wird im sauren Milieu protoniert und beschleunigt die Extraktion wie ein Phasentransferkatalysator, ohne jedoch die Palladium(II)-Selektivität herabzusetzen. Die Kristallstruktur des Palladiumdichlorid-Komplexes des Tioethersulfoxids zeigt, dass der unprotonierte Ligand Palladium(II), analog zum Dithioether, über die chelatisierenden Schwefelatome koordiniert. Verschiedene Mischungen von Oligo(dithioether)-Liganden und der monomere Ligand 1,2-Bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzen dienten als Extraktionsmittel für Fest-Flüssig-Extraktionsversuche mit SIRs (solvent impregnated resins) und wurden zu diesem Zweck auf hydrophilem Kieselgel und organophilem Amberlite® XAD 2 adsorbiert. Die Oligo(dithioether)-Liganden basieren auf 1,2-Dithiobenzen oder 1,2-Dithiomaleonitril-Einheiten, welche über Tris(oxyethylen)ethylen- oder Trimethylen-Brücken miteinander verknüpft sind. Mit Hilfe von Batch-Versuchen konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich strukturelle Unterschiede - wie die Art der chelatisierenden Einheit, die Art der verbrückenden Ketten und das Trägermaterial - auf die Extraktionsausbeuten, die Extraktionskinetik und die Beladungskapazität auswirken. Die kieselgelhaltigen SIRs stellen das Extraktionsgleichgewicht viel schneller ein als die Amberlite® XAD 2-haltigen. Jedoch bleiben die Extraktionsmittel auf Amberlite® XAD 2, im Gegensatz zu Kieselgel, dauerhaft haften. Im salzsauren Milieu sind die 1,2-Dithiobenzen-derivate besser als Extraktionsmittel geeignet als die 1,2-Dithiomaleonitrilderivate. In Säulenversuchen mit der oxidierenden, salzsauren Laugungslösung und wiederverwendbaren, mit 1,2-Dithiobenzenderivaten imprägnierten, Amberlite® XAD 2-haltigen SIRs zeigte sich, dass für die Realisierung hoher Beladungskapazitäten sehr geringe Pumpraten benötigt werden. Trotzdem konnte die gute Palladium(II)-Selektivität dieser Festphasenmaterialien demonstriert werden. Allerdings wurden in den Eluaten im Gegensatz zu den Eluaten, die aus Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktion resultierten neben dem Palladium auch geringe Mengen an Platin, Aluminium, Eisen und Blei gefunden.
The development of new processes for the recovery of palladium from recycling materials like spent automotive catalysts is of economic and ecologic interest. In this thesis new solvent and solid phase extractants have been designed, which are suitable for the recovery of palladium(II) from an oxidising hydrochloric leach liquor that does not only additionally contain platinum and rhodium but also a number of base metals. In contrast to many extractants described in the literature these new extractants – unsaturated monomeric dithioethers as well as oligomeric mixtures of ligands with vicinal dithioether units – are highly selective for palladium(II). Due to their geometric and electronic preorganisation they form stable square-planar chelate complexes with palladium(II). For the development of the solvent extractant a series of unsaturated dithioethers, which are based on a rigid 1,2-dithioethene unit that is imbedded in an electron-withdrawing backbone, with polar end-groups has been synthesised. In addition to the determination of the crystal structures of the ligands and their dichloridopalladium complexes, the electro- and photochemical properties, the complex stabilities and the behaviour in solution have been investigated. Solvent extraction experiments showed the superiority of some of our ligands over conventionally used extractants in terms of their very fast reaction rates. Considering criteria that are essential for industrial utilisation like: robustness towards oxidation, achieving of high extraction yields (even at a high hydrochloric acid content of the leach liquor), fast extraction kinetics and a high selectivity for palladium(II), 1,2-bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzene was selected as the extractant of choice. Building on this a solvent extraction system close to industrial practice was devised. After stepwise adaption of the aqueous phase from a model solution to the oxidising hydrochloric leach liquor, the selection of a diluent suitable for commercial operations (1,2-dichlorobenzene) and of an efficient stripping agent (0.5 M thiourea in 0.1 M HCl) has been accomplished. The high selectivity of that solvent extraction system for palladium(II) could be verified and its reusability and suitability for practical application have been proven. Further it was shown that small amounts of the thioether sulfoxide 1-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfanyl]-2-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfinyl]benzene form when the dithioether ligand 1,2-bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzene gets in contact with oxidising media. Under acidic conditions this thioether sulfoxide gets protonated and accelerates the extraction like a phase transfer catalyst; without decreasing the selectivity for palladium(II). The molecular structure of the corresponding dichloridopalladium complex reveals that the nonprotonated ligand coordinates palladium(II) in a similar manner to the dithioether via the chelating sulfur atoms. Mixtures of oligo(dithioether) ligands and the monomeric 1,2-bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzene have been adsorbed on silica gel and amberlite® XAD 2. These SIRs (solvent impregnated resins) have been used for solid phase extraction experiments. The oligo(dithioether) ligands are based on 1,2- dithiobenzene or 1,2-dithiomaleonitrile units, which are connected via tris(oxyethylene)ethylene or trimethylene chains. With the help of batch experiments it could be shown how structural differences, like the chelating unit, the kind of linking chain and the type of supporting material, impact the extraction yield, kinetics and loading capacity. The SIRs containing silica gel establish the extraction equilibrium much faster than those containing amberlite® XAD 2. On the other hand, the extractants permanently remain on amberlite® XAD 2, in contrast to silica gel. In a hydrochloric medium 1,2-dithiobenzene derivatives are better extractants than 1,2-dithiomaleonitrile derivatives. In column experiments with the oxidising hydrochloric leach liquor and reusable SIRs based on 1,2-dithiobenzene derivatives impregnated into amberlite® XAD 2, it appeared that for the implementation of high loading capacities very low flow rates are required. The selectivity for palladium(II) of these solid phase extractants could be demonstrated, although the eluates, in contrast to the eluates gained from the solvent extraction experiments, contained not only palladium but also small amounts of platinum, aluminium, iron and lead.

Soil that is heavily contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is often found at the sites of former gasworks and wood-impregnation plants. Since PAHs are toxic these sites represent a hazard to human health and the environment, and therefore they need to be treated, preferably by a method that destroys the contaminants, and thus eliminates the problem permanently. However, during biological and chemical degradation of PAHs other toxic compounds may be formed. If these transformation products are sufficiently persistent they could potentially accumulate during remedial processes. In the work underlying this thesis the degradation and transformation of PAHs were studied in three remedial processes: viz. a pilot-scale bioslurry reactor, microcosms with wood-rotting fungi and lab-scale treatments with Fenton's reagent. A group of transformation products referred to as oxygenated-PAHs (oxy-PAHs) was found to be particularly important, as these compounds are toxic and were shown to be relatively persistent in the environment. The oxy- PAHs were, for instance, found at significant concentrations in the gasworks soil used in most of the studies. This soil was highly weathered and had therefore been depleted of the more readily degradable compounds. In addition, experiments in which earthworms were exposed to the gasworks soil showed that the oxy-PAHs were more easily taken up in living organisms than PAHs. To facilitate the studies, new extraction and fractionation methods were developed. For instance, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was investigated for its reliability and efficiency to extract PAHs and oxy-PAHs from soil. Furthermore, a selective PLE-method was developed that can simultaneously extract and separate the PAHs and oxy-PAHs into two different fractions. This was accomplished by adding a chromatographic material (silica or Florisil) to the extraction cell. Under certain conditions all three remedial processes resulted in increasing amounts of oxy- PAHs in the soil. For example, 1-acenaphthenone and 4-oxapyrene-5-one accumulated in the bioslurry reactor. Similarly, in the soil inoculated with a white-rot fungus 9-fluorenone, benzo[a]anthracene-7,12-dione, 4-hydroxy-9-fluorenone and 4-oxapyrene-5-one accumulated. Finally, in an ethanol-Fenton treatment the concentration of some PAH-quinones increased in the soil. The results show that it might be necessary to monitor oxy-PAHs as well as PAHs during the remediation of PAH-contaminated sites. Otherwise, the soil may be considered detoxified too early in the process. In the long term it would be desirable to include analyses with sufficient marker compounds to follow the possible production and elimination of the oxy-PAHs. However, until such compounds can be identified it is suggested that contaminated soil should be screened for oxy-PAHs in general. The selective PLE-method presented in this thesis could be a useful tool for this.

Large numbers of samples often need to be prepared and analysed in surveys of organic pollutants in the environment, but while the methods commonly used in such surveys can provide abundant detail they are generally costly, time-consuming and require large amounts of resources, so there is a need for simpler techniques. The work underlying this thesis assessed the potential utility of more convenient sample preparation and bioanalytical techniques for rapidly screening various environmental matrices that could be useful complements to higher resolution methods. Initially, the utility of a simplified extraction technique followed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in authentic (i.e. unspiked) contaminated soils was explored. The results showed that there are relationships between the structure and cross-reactivity among compounds that often co-occur with target PAHs. However, their potential contribution to deviations between estimates of total PAH contents of soils obtained using ELISA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based reference methods were limited. Instead, the cross-reactivity of target PAHs and the failure to extract all of the PAHs prior to the ELISA determinations were the main reasons for these deviations. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were detected in food and feed matrices, as well as in authentic contaminated soils using different bioanalytical techniques – ELISA and two cell-based bioassays: CAFLUX and CALUX (chemically activated fluorescent/luciferase gene expression) assays. In addition, enhanced sample preparation techniques based on accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) were developed. ASE with integrated carbon fractionation (ASE-C) in combination with CAFLUX produced estimates of PCDD and PCDF contents in fish oil and fish meal that agreed well with results obtained using reference methods. Furthermore, results from ELISA and GC-high resolution MS analyses of extracts of PCDD- and PCDF-contaminated soil samples obtained using an adjusted ASE-C technique were strongly correlated. Finally, the thesis reports the first experiments in which the results of CAFLUX, CALUX, and ELISA determinations of PCDDs and PCDFs in extracts of authentic contaminated soil samples were evaluated and compared to those obtained using a reference method. All of the bioanalytical techniques were found to be sufficiently sensitive, selective, and accurate for use in screening in compliance with soil quality assessment criteria. Overall, the improved sample preparation and bioanalytical techniques examined proved to be useful potential complements to conventional methods, enhancing the analytical framework for PAHs, PCDDs, and PCDFs. However, further validation has to be undertaken before they are applied on a large-scale.

The management and disposal of huge volumes of coal combustion by products such as fly ash has constituted a major challenge to the environment. In most cases due to the inadequate alternative use of coal fly ash, the discarded waste is stored in holding ponds, slag heaps, or stock piled in ash dumps. This practice has raised concerns on the prospect of inorganic metals release to the surface and groundwater in the vicinity of the ash dump. Acceptable scientific studies are lacking to determine the best ash disposal practices. Moreover, knowledge about the mobility patterns of inorganic species as a function of mineralogical association or pH susceptibility of the dry disposed ash dump under natural weathering conditions are scarce in the literature. Fundamental understanding of chemical interactions of dry disposed ash with ingressed CO2 from atmosphere, percolating rain water and brine irrigation within ash disposal sites were seen as key areas requiring investigation. The mineralogical association of inorganic species in the dry disposed ash cores can be identified and quantified. This would provide a basis for understanding of chemical weathering, mineralogical transformations or mobility patterns of these inorganic species in the dry ash disposal scenario. The current study therefore aims to provide a comprehensive characterisation of weathered dry disposed ash cores, to reveal mobility patterns of chemical species as a function of depth and age of ash, with a view to assessing the potential environmental impacts. Fifty-nine samples were taken from 3 drilled cores obtained respectively from the 1 year, 8 year and 20-year-old sections of sequentially dumped, 
weathered, dry disposed ash in an ash dump site at Tutuka - a South African coal burning power station. The core samples were characterized using standard analytical procedures viz: X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) techniques, Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and Acid neutralisation capacity (ANC) test. A modified sequential extraction (SE) method was used in this study. The chemical partitioning, mobility and weathering patterns in 1 year, 8 year and 20-year-old sections of the ash dump were respectively investigated using this modified sequential extraction scheme. The sequence of the extractions was as follows: (1) water soluble, (2) exchangeable, (3) carbonate, (4) iron and manganese and (5) residual. The results obtained from the 5 steps sequential extraction scheme were validated with the total metal content of the original sample using mass balance method. The distribution of major and trace elements in the different liquid fractions obtained after each step of sequential extraction of the 59 drilled core samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The data generated for various ash core samples were explored for the systematic analysis of mineralogical transformation and change in ash chemistry with ageing of the ash. Furthermore, the data was analyzed to reveal the impact of ingressed CO2 from atmosphere, infiltrating rain water and brine irrigation on the chemistry of ash core samples. Major mineral phases in original ash core samples prior to extraction are quartz (SiO2) and mullite (3Al2O3·
2SiO2). Other minor mineral phases identified were hematite (Fe2O3), calcite (CaCO3), lime (CaO), anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8), mica (Ca (Mg, Al)3 (Al3Si) O10 (OH)2), and enstatite (Mg2Si2O6). X-ray diffraction results show significant loss of crystallinity in the older ash cores. The presence of minor phases of calcite and mica in dry disposed ash cores are attributed to reduction in the pore water pH due to hydration, carbonation and pozzolanic reactions. The X-ray diffraction technique was unable to detect Fe-oxyhydroxide phase and morealuminosilicate phases in ash core samples due to their low abundance and amorphous character. X-ray fluorescence results of the original ash core samples showed the presence of major oxides, such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, while CaO, K2O, TiO2, Na2O, MnO, MgO, P2O5, and SO3 occur in minor concentrations. The ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 classified the original core samples prior to extraction as a silico-aluminate class F fly ash. The ternary plot of major elements in 1-year-old ash core samples was both sialic and ferrocalsialic but 8 year and 20-year-old ash core samples were sialic in chemical composition. It is noteworthy that the mass % of SiO2 varies through the depth of the core with an increase of nearly 3 %, to 58 mass % of SiO2 at a depth of 6 m in the 1-year-old core whereas in the case of the 8-year-old core a 2 % increase of SiO2 to a level of 57.5 mass % can be observed at levels between 4-8 m, showing dissolution of major components in the matrix of older ash cores.. The Na2O content of the Tutuka ash cores was low and varied between 0.6-1.1 mass % for 1-year-old ash cores to around 0.6-0.8 mass % for 8-year-old ash cores. Sodium levels were higher in 1-year-old ash cores compared to 8 year and 20-year-old ashcores. Observed trends indicate that quick weathering of the ash (within a year) leached out Na+ from the ash dump. No evidence of Na+ encapsulation even though the ash dump was brine irrigated. Thus the dry disposal ash placement method does not result in a sustainable salt sink for Na-containing species over time. The total content of each of the elements in 1 year and 20-year-old ash cores was normalised with their total content in fresh ash from same power station to show enrichment and depletion factor. Major elements such as K+, Mn showed enrichment in 1-year-old ash cores whereas Al, Si, Na+, Ti, Ca, Mg, S and Fe showed depletion due to over time erosion. Trace elements such as Cr, Sr, P, Ba, Pb, V and Zn showed enrichment but Ni, Y, Zr showed depletion attributed to over time erosion. In 20-year-old ash cores, major elements such as Al, Na+ and Mn showed enrichment while Si, K+, Fe, Mg and Ca showed depletion highlighting their mobility. Trends indicated intensive flushing of major soluble components such as buffering constituents (CaO) by percolating rain water. The 1-year-old and 20-year-old coal ash cores showed a lower pH and greater loss/depletion of the soluble buffering constituents than the 2-week-old placed ash, indicating significant chemical weathering within a year. Based 
on ANC results the leaching behaviours of Ca, Mg, Na+, K+, Se, Cr, and Sr were found to be controlled by the pH of the leachant indicating high mobility of major soluble species in the ash cores when in contact with slightly acid rain water. Other investigated toxic metals such as As, Mo and Pb showed amphoteric behaviour with respect to the pH of the leachant. Chemical alterations and formation of transient minor secondary mineral phases was found to have a significant effect on the acid susceptibility and depletion pattern of chemical species in the core ash samples when compared to fresh ash. These ANC results correlated well with the data generated from the sequential extraction scheme. Based on sequential extraction results elements, showed noticeable mobility in the water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate fractions due to adsorption and desorption caused by variations in the pore water pH. In contrast, slight mobility of elements in the Fe and Mn, and residual fractions of dry disposed fly ashes are attributed to the co-precipitation and dissolution of minor amount of less soluble secondary phase overtime. The 1-year-old dry disposed ash cores were the least weathered among the 3 drilled ash cores. Therefore low concentration of toxic metals in older ash cores were ascribed to extensive weathering with slower release from residual mineral phases over time. Elements were found to associate with different mineral phases depending on the age or depth of the core samples showing greater heterogeneity in dispersion. For instance the average amount of total calcium in different mineral associations of 1-year-old ash cores is as follows
water soluble (10.2 %), exchangeable (37.04 %), carbonate (37.9 %), Fe and Mn (7.1 %) and residual (2.97 %). The amount of total Na+ in different mineral phases of 1-year-old ash cores followed this trend: water soluble (21 %), exchangeable (11.26 %), carbonate (2.6 %), Fe and Mn (4.7 %) and residual (53.9 %). The non-leachable portion of the total Na+ content (namely that contained in the residual fraction) in the 1-year-old ash core samples under conditions found in nature ranged between 5-91 %. This non-leachable portion of the Na+ showed the metastability of the mineral phases with which residual Na+ associates. Results showed older ash cores are enriched in toxic elements. Toxic elements such as As, B, Cr, Mo and Pb are enriched in the residual fraction of older ash cores. For instance As concentration in the residual fraction varied between 0.0003- 0.00043 mg kg-1 for 1-year-old ash cores to around 0.0003-0.0015 mg kg-1 for 20-year-old ash cores. This suggests that the older ash is enriched in toxic elements hence dust from the ash dump would be toxic to human health. The knowledge of mobility and ecotoxicological significance of coal fly ash is needed when considering its disposal or reuse in the environment. The mobility and ecotoxicology of inorganic metals in coal fly ash are determined by (i) mineralogical associations of inorganic species (ii) in-homogeneity in the ash dumps (iii) long and short term exposure to ingress CO2 and percolating rain water. Management issues such as inconsistent placement of ash in the dumps, poor choice of ash dump site, in-homogeneity in brine irrigation, no record of salt load put on the ash dumps and lack of proper monitoring requires improvement. The thesis provides justification for the use of the modified sequential extraction scheme as a predictive tool and could be employed in a similar research work. This thesis also proved that the dry ash disposal method was not environmental friendly in terms of overall leaching potential after significant chemical weathering. Moreover the study proved that the practice of brine co-disposal or irrigation on ash dumps is not sustainable as the ash dump did not act as a salt sink.

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Dissertacao (Mestrado)
IEA/D
Instituto de Quimica, Universidade de Sao Paulo - IQ/USP

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering (Metallurgy and Materials Engineering), May 2016
The solvent extraction of iron and titanium from solution generated by the two-step sulphuric acid leaching of coal fly ash by Primene JMT was investigated. The influence of hydrogen ion concentration, Primene JMT concentration, aqueous to organic volume phase ratio and temperature on the extraction of iron and titanium was determined by the use of Design of Experiments. Hydrogen ion concentration and the interaction between the aqueous to organic volume phase ratio with Primene JMT concentration had a significant effect on the extraction of iron while temperature did not. Hydrogen ion concentration and temperature did not have a significant effect on the extraction of titanium, while the interaction between Primene JMT concentration and aqueous to organic volume phase ratio had a significant effect. Extraction improvement tests showed that at a hydrogen ion concentration of 0.28M, 88% iron and 99% extraction of titanium from coal-fly ash leach solution could be achieved. Construction of a McCabe-Thiele diagram showed that a four-stage solvent extraction system with Primene JMT could reduce the iron and titanium concentration in the coal fly ash leach solutions to below 0.05g/L
GS2016

Albertan coal has been used to produce extracts as precursor for production of anode coke. Coal extractability was studied using digestion with Tetralin in a 500 ml reactor. Different operating conditions were tried and optimum conditions were chosen for runs with coal-derived solvents. Extracts from runs with coal-derived solvents and their hydrotreated versions were distilled and heat treated to produce pitches as coke precursors. Coking experiments were performed using a molten salt bath furnace. Coal, solvents, pitches and cokes were characterized to study the effects of process chemistry on coke anisotropy. Coke anisotropy was studied using image analysis of polarized light optical micrographs and x-ray diffraction. Aromaticity of the pitch was found to be the key parameter controlling coke anisotropy. Solvent was found to be the most important factor contributing to pitch aromaticity. Heat treated products of high aromaticity yield the highest coke conversion and anisotropy.
Chemical Engineering

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2009.
Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Dec. 14, 2009). "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta." Includes bibliographical references.

Consists mainly of offprints of articles by the author
Includes bibliographies
1 v. (various pagings) :
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
Thesis (D. Sc.)--University of Adelaide, Faculty of Science, 1985

A comparative study was undertaken of different extraction methods for the isolation of volatile organic compounds from Murraya koenigii (curry leaf plant). The techniques studied included the traditional methods of extraction, namely, Soxhlet and solvent extraction as well as steam distillation. The solvent–free extraction techniques of headspace analysis and headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) were also investigated. In the evaluation of SPME, two different fibre coatings, poly(dimethylsiloxane) and poly(acrylate), were compared. Preliminary work to determine the effect of extraction parameters, such as extraction time, was carried out. The volatile oils in the fresh leaves of Murraya koenigii were isolated by the above-mentioned extraction methods and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main aroma contributing compounds were identified by comparison of their retention times with those of standards and their mass spectra with those of known compounds contained in the National Institute of Science and Technology Standard Reference Database 1A (NIST 98). The essential oil contained mainly terpenes: monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The constituents were identified and only the five selected analytes of interest, a-pinene, β-pinene, a-phellandrene, β-caryophyllene and a-caryophyllene were quantified in three of the methods, namely solvent extraction, soxhlet extraction and steam distillation. From the quantitative determination of the compounds of interest, steam distillation favoured the extraction of β-caryophyllene. The solvent and Soxhlet extractions showed no significant differences between the quantities obtained for a- and β- caryophyllene. The steam distillation and Soxhlet methods showed similar quantities of a-caryophyllene extracted. The extraction of the monoterpenes, a-pinene, β-pinene, and a-phellandrene, was favoured by the Soxhlet method of extraction. Quantification was difficult with HS-SPME and headspace analysis. Headspace analysis proved effective in the detection of the very volatile analytes. Headspace-SPME combined with GC-MS was found to be suitable for the identification of both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes of M. koenigii. From this study, solvent extraction and Soxhlet extraction were found to be superior to the other methods studied for the characterisation and quantitation of the volatile organic compounds in essential oils of Murraya koenigii.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

Equilibrium and kinetic data for the solvent extraction of germanium by three impure commercial 7-alkylated-8hydroxyquinoline extractants which vary in structure at the 7alkyl group, are evaluated in order to elucidate an holistic kinetic extraction model which accounts for the various reactions and partition effects occurring during the metal-ion chelation process. It is proposed that for the extraction process, which is first order in germanium concentration, by the ligand reagents Lix 26, TN 01787 and TN 02181, the rate-determining step, on stereochemical grounds, is the attachment of either a neutral ligand or a protonated ligand species-to the biligand intermediate GeL2 2+ (L:ligand) at the interface. In high speed shaking/mixing assemblies the extraction process was observed to occur in two discrete reaction regimes : a fast initial rate for which the orders with respect to ligand reagent are 1,06, 2,10 and 1,77 for TN 02181, Lix 26 and TN 0178-7 respectively, and a slower subsequent rate for which the apparent reaction orders with respect to ligand concentration are 1,12, 2,70 and 3,08 for TN 02181, Lix 26 and TN 01787 respectively. For the slower reaction regime, orders between 1 and 3 are explicable if the steady state approximation is invoked for the intermediate germanium species GeL3+ and GeL2 2+ formed at the interface. In the fast reaction regime, it is proposed that the accelerated extraction rates are a function of (i) the speciation of germanium and (ii) participation in the rate-determining step by the protonated ligand moiety H2L+HS04- which is rapidly formed after phase contact. At low ligand concentration, the following order of ligand efficacy has been observed : TN 01787 < Lix 26 < TN 02181 whereas at high concentration ligand efficacies are similar because the interface is saturated with ligand. Orders with respect to [H+] for the reagents vary from -1 to - 3 during the course of reaction, indicating complex mixedorder behaviour. The effects upon extraction of ionic strength, temperature, the addition of organic modifiers and diluent nature are investigated as well as the kinetics of germanium stripping by aqueous hydroxide. The physical effects of interfacial tension, viscosity and relative dielectric constant are also reported and suggestions are made as to their effect upon the extraction characteristics. Computer modelling of the extractants has been used as an aid in describing size, structure and stereochemical considerations of the ligands and the chelate products.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

Separation processes are fundamental to all chemical engineering industries. Solvent separation, either liquid-liquid extraction or extractive distillation, is a specialised segment of separation processes. Solvents can be used either to optimise conventional distillation processes or for azeotropic systems, which can not be separated by conventional means. This work focuses on the performance of monoethanolamine (MEA) as a solvent in extractive distillation. Furthermore, the methodology of solvent evaluation is also studied. The preliminary assessment of solvent selection requires the determination of selectivity factors. The selectivity factor is defined as follows: P• = y,." . y, where y" is the activity coefficient at infinite dilution of the solute in the solvent. Subscript 1 and 2 refer to solute 1 and 2. A large selectivity factor implies enhanced separation of component 1 from 2 due to the solvent. Activity coefficients at infinite dilution were determined experimentally (gas-liquid chromatography) and predicted theoretically (UNIFAC group contribution method) for twenty-four solutes at three temperatures. Solutes used were alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cyclo-alkanes, aromatics, ketones and alcohols. Most of this experimental work comprises data for systems which have not been measured before. Predicted and experimental values for y' were compared. For systems such as these (with polar solvents and non-polar solutes), UNIFAC results are not accurate and experimentation is vital. The experimental selectivity factors indicated tihat MEA could be an excellent solvent for hydrocarbon separation. Three binary azeotropic systems were chosen for further experimentation with MEA n-hexane (1) - benzene (2): fJ,~ = 31. Compared to other industrial solvents this is one of the largest values and MEA could serve as an excellent solvent. cyclohexane (1) - ethanol (2): fJ,~ = 148. This high value indicates an excellent solvent for this system. Acetone (1) - methanol (2): fJ,~ = 7.7. Further work involved vapour-liquid equilibrium experimentation at sub-atmospheric pressures in a dynamic recirculating stil l. The binary components with a certain amount of MEA were added to the still. The vapour and liquid mole fractions for the binary azeotropic components were measured and plotted on a solvent-free basis. The results are summarised below: n-hexane - benzene: Amount MEA added to still feed: 2%. MEA improved separability slightly. Further addition of MEA resulted in two liquid phases forming. cyclohexane - ethanol: Amount MEA added to still feed: 5% and 10%. Two liquid phases were formed for cyclohexane rich mixtures. Addition of MEA improved separability but did not remove the azeotrope. acetone - methanol: Amount MEA added to still feed : 5%, 10% and 20%. The ternary mixture remained homogenous and separability improved with addition of MEA. The binary azeotrope was eliminated. Due to the hetrogenous nature of the cyclohexane - ethanol system liquid-liquid equilibrium experimentation was performed to complete the analysis. Viable separation processes are possible for (a) cyclohexane - ethanol mixtures and for (b) acetone - methanol mixtures using MEA as the solvent. Comparison of various solvents used for the separation of acetone from methanol was possible by constructing equivolatility curves for the ternary systems. Results showed that MEA may possibly be the best solvent for this extractive distillation process. This study provides the following results and conclusions: • New thermodynamic data, important for the understanding of MEA in the field of solvent separations, was obtained. • Results show that the UNIFAC contribution method cannot be used to accurately predict polar solvent - non-polar solute y«> values. Experimentation is essential. • Selectivity factors indicate that MEA could be an excellent solvent for hydrocarbon separation. • The separation of the azeotropic cyclohexane - ethanol mixture is possible with a combination of extractive distillation and liquid-liquid extraction or simply liquid-liquid extraction using MEA as the solvent. • The separation of the azeotropic acetone methanol mixture is possible with extractive distillation using MEA as the solvent. The solvent MEA is possibly the best solvent for this separation.
Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-Univeristy of Natal, Durban, 2000.