The Extraction of Cadmium, Zinc and Iron Using CTA/Aliquat 336 Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) and Electrospinning Fibers

This research aimed to investigate the removal and recovery rate of Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) using Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) and Electrospun Fibers made from cellulose triacetate (CTA) as the base polymer and Aliquat 336 as an extractant. The CTA/Aliquat 336 PIMs was prepared using conventional method while the CTA/Aliquat 336 electropun fibers was prepared by electrospinnig process. Different Aliquat 336 concentration was used to investigate the extraction performance of both CTA/Aliquat 336 PIMs and electropun fibers. Based on the results, the extraction efficiency for CTA/Aliquat 336 PIMs and electropun fibers of Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) ions increased with the increasing of Aliquat 336 content. The results shown that highest extraction rate of Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) by using CTA/Aliquat 336 PIMs containing highest concentration 40 wt. % of Aliquat 336 content were 98%, 75% and 31% respectively. While the highest extraction rate of Cd(II), Zn(II) and Fe(II) by using CTA/Aliquat 336 electrospun fibers containing highest concentration 4 wt.% of Aliquat 336 content were 46%, 44% and 42% respectively. There was a significant change in the extraction of removal Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) by using CTA/Aliquat 336 PlMs containing 20 to 40 wt. % Aliquat 336 content. While the CTA/Aliquat 336 PlMs without Aliquat 336 content and at low concentration 10 wt. % Aliquat 336 therewas no extraction could be observed. Besides, there was no significant change of recovery Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) by using HCl as desorption solution. Moreover, there was a significant extraction in extraction of removal Cd(II), Zn(II) and Fe(II) by using CTA/Aliquat 336 electropun fibers even at low Aliquat 336 content which is 4 wt.%. In contrast, the extraction of Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) in PIMs needs to exceed the percolation threshold of 20 wt. % Aliquat 336 content. Therefore, results from extraction efficiency showed that CTA/Aliquat 336 electrospun fibers have higher absorption capacity compared to CTA/Aliquat 336 PIMs which clarify that they have better extraction. By comparison, the extraction efficiency for removal metal ions was increased in order Cd (II), Zn (II) and Fe (II) for both CTA/Aliquat 336 PlMs and electrospun fibers. On the other hand, the morphology of both CTA/Aliquat 336 electrospun fibers was uniform, small and densely packed. It appears that the Aliquat 336 content influence the formation of beads of CTA/Aliquat 336 electrsospun fiber but the level of significance may vary with the applied voltage or in this case Aliquat 336 concentration.