Solid phase extraction, separation and preconcentration of rare elements thorium(IV), uranium(VI), zirconium(IV), cerium(IV) and chromium(III) amid several other foreign ions with eriochrome black T anchored to 3-D networking silica gel.

The present work reports the systematic studies on extraction, separation and preconcentration of Th(IV), U(VI), Zr(IV), Ce(IV) and Cr(III) amid several other foreign ions using EBT anchored {SiO2}n3-D microarray. The effect of various sorption parameters, such as pH, concentration, temperature, sample volume, flow-rate and co-existing foreign ions were investigated. Quantitative sorption was ensured at solution pH: 6.0-6.5 for Th(IV), Ce(IV), Cr(III) and pH: 2.75-3.0 for Zr(IV), U(VI) couple. Analysis on extracted species and extraction sites reveals that [Th4(μ(2)-OH)8(H2O)4](8+), [Ce6(μ(2)-OH)12(H2O)5](12+), [Cr3(μ(2)-OH)4(H2O)](5+), [(UO2)3(μ(2)-OH)5(H2O)3](+) and [Zr4(μ(2)-OH)8(H2O)0.5](8+) for the respective metal ions gets extracted at HOMO of the extractor. HOMO-{metal ion species} was found to be 1:1 complexation. Sorption was endothermic, entropy-gaining, instantaneous and spontaneous in nature. A density functional theory (DFT) calculation has been performed to analyze the 3-D structure and electronic distribution of the synthesized extractor.