Germanium recovery by catechol complexation and subsequent flow through membrane and bead‐packed bed column. Issue 8 (11th December 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Takemura, Hiroaki; Morisada, Shintaro; Ohto, Keisuke; Kawakita, Hidetaka; Matsuo, Yoshiyasu; Fukuda, Daisuke
• Is Part Of: Journal of chemical technology & biotechnology. Volume 88:Issue 8(2013:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1468
• Page End: 1472
• Publication Date: 2012-12-11
• Subjects: Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Technical -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; Industries -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.3985
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-2575

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jctb3985-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p> <bold>Ion‐exchange has been a powerful tool for metal recovery. Germanium has been recovered using the commercially available N‐methylglucamine resin. To treat waste‐water from solar panel displays a method to separate selectively germanium from silicate ion was required. A novel recovery of germanium is proposed in which germanium is complexed with catechol in solution and the complex solution flowed through a membrane or bead‐packed bed.</bold> </p> </sec> <sec id="jctb3985-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p> <bold>By changing pH, germanium was complexed with catechol, 3‐methylcatechol and 4‐nitrocatechol in solution and the solution was adsorbed on the membrane in a batch mode, demonstrating that catechol exhibited a high adsorption performance in neutral pH. In a continuous system, the membrane achieved faster adsorption of the germanium complex than a bead‐packed bed.</bold> </p> </sec> <sec id="jctb3985-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>CONCLUSION</title> <p> <bold>The high‐speed recovery of germanium was due to the transport to the vicinity of quaternary amino group in the membrane via convection. A germanium solution containing silicate ions was passed through the membrane system, resulting in highly selective recovery of germanium ion. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry</bold> </p> </sec> </abstract>