Synergic extraction of pantothenic acid with two different extractants

Abstract

The influences of extractants concentrations and solvent polarity on the efficiency of pantothenic acid separation by synergic extraction with tri-n-octylamine (TOA) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) mixture have been analyzed. The results indicated the formation of an interfacial compound which includes one molecule of pantothenic acid and one of D2EHPA, its hydrophobicity being increased by solvation with additional TOA molecules. For solvents with lower dielectric constants, n-heptane and n-butyl acetate, the number of amine molecules participating in the interfacial complex formation was controlled by solvent polarity and D2EHPA concentration, decreasing with the increase of these two parameters. For dichloromethane, the chemical structure of the extracted compound remained the same regardless of D2EHPA concentration. The most important synergic effect corresponded to the extractant mixture dissolved in nheptane, at low D2EHPA concentration in the organic phase (5 g/l).