Efficiency of Enrichment of Strontium by Floatation as Affected by Long-Chain Fatty Acids and Solvents

In the floatation enrichment of Sr2+ from solutions containing benzene, chloroform, n-butyl alcohol or methyl iso-butyl ketone as organic solvent with either of the long chain fatty acids (i.e., sodium dodecyl sulfonate, myristic acid, hexadecanoic acid and stearic acid) as collector the efficiency of enrichment was studied by FAAS determination of strontium in the organic phase. Ten mL of 2 g·L-1 ethanolic solution of either of the fatty acids were added to 10 mL of the sample solution containing Sr2+, and the acidity of the solution was adjested to pH 8. The solution was transferred to the self-made floatation column, and after the addition of 10 mL of either of the organic solvents, floatation was performed for 5 min by passing air through the solution at a flow-rate between 8-12 L·min-1; content of Sr2+ in the organic phase was determined under the prescribed working condition of the instrument. As concluded from the experimental results, stearic acid and methyl iso-butyl ketone were selected for the enrichment, giving values of recovery more than 90%.