Abstract

TIn this research paper, the liquid-liquid extraction of ruthenium(III) from malonate media has been examined by shaking aqueous phase having pH 2.5 with 10 ml of 0.07 mol L−1 4-heptylaminopyridine as a novel extractant diluted in xylene for 5 min. The extracted metal from organic phase was separated by stripping with 4:1 combination of 2% NaCl and 1.0 M HCl. The effect of various parameters such as pH, weak acid concentration, extractant concentration, stripping agents, equilibrium time, diluents, and aqueous to organic volume ratio on the extraction of ruthenium(III) was studied. The extracted species has been evaluated from log D versus log C, and species appears to be 1:2:1 (metal:acid:extractant). The selectivity of the method was checked by separating ruthenium(III) from binary and ternary mixtures of metal ions as well as platinum-group metals. The separation of ruthenium(III) from alloy and water samples was also investigated.