Flotation Separation of Mercury (II) using Ammonium Sulfate-Potassium Iodide-Butyl rhodamine B system

Abstract

The flotation separation behavior and conditions of mercury (II) using ammonium sulfate-potassium iodide-butyl rhodamine B(Bu-RhB) system are investigated. In the presence of (NH4)2SO4, KI and Bu-RhB, Hg2+ can form ternary associate precipitate (Bu-RhB)2 (HgI4) which floated above the water phase and Hg2+ is floated quantitatively at pH 1.0. While Zn2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Fe3+ and Al3+ can not be floated in the same condition. Hence, the separation method of trace mercury (II) by flotation is established. This mothod is used to separate Hg2+ in the synthetic water samples, the results are satisfactory.