• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.785-790
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• 2017

To collect zinc, Fe and Zn in spent pickling solution were extracted by using TBP (tributyl phosphate), and Zn was recovered from extracted solution to zinc oxalate particles by oxalic acid solution. The reusability of TBP solvent was also tested. The distribution coefficient of Zn was not affected by the concentration of Fe in spent pickling solution, almost constant with the values of 7.12~9.31 when extracted by TBP solvent. It was found that the extraction capacity of TBP solvent for Zn is higher than that for Fe. The extraction efficiency of Zn was higher than 95%, while most of Fe was left in aqueous phase. After the recovery, the used TBP solvent could be repeatedly reused for the extraction of Zn up to eight times. XRD analysis showed that zinc oxalate ($ZnC_2O_4$ $2H_2O$) was formed from the reaction of Zn-TBP and oxalic acid. From the results of SEM analysis, the formation of zinc oxalate particle was strongly affected by the concentration of oxalic acid. In summary, Zn in spent pickling solution was successfully separated and recovered with TBP solvent and oxalic acid solution, respectively.