Improvement of chromium(VI) extraction from acidic solutions using a poly(vinyl chloride)-based polymer inclusion membrane with Aliquat 336 as the carrier

An important reason for the inefficient extraction of Cr(VI) from its acidic solutions into polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), consisting of poly(vinyl chloride) as the base-polymer and Aliquat 336 as the carrier, was found to be associated with the leaching of Aliquat 336 from the PIMs into the solutions, where it subsequently reduced the anionic Cr(VI) species to cationic Cr(III) species. The PIM extraction efficiency for Cr(VI) was significantly improved by the addition of NaNO ₃ to the solutions, which suppressed the leaching of Aliquat 336 and the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III).