An assessment of alkyl chain length effect of symmetric midazolium salts as a carrier for selective separation of Cr(VI)

Selective solvent extraction (SSX) of Cr(VI) and recovery was evaluated by using a homologous series of symmetric imidazolium bromide salts (SIMs) having various alkyl chain length. Therefore, propyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, and decyl substituted SIMs were used as an ion carrier. The executive parameters affecting both extraction and stripping conditions were investigated for optimization. Finally, a direct correlation was observed a between increasing alkyl chain length and selective Cr(VI) extraction from acidic solutions containing Cr(VI), Fe(III), Co(II), Cd(II), Ni(II). This relationship was reversed in the stripping conditions. Optimal extraction and stripping were obtained for SIM5 and SIM2 as 97.49% and 70.00%, respectively.