Chelate extraction of metals into ionic liquids

Abstract

In the solvent extraction of metal cations into ionic liquids, use of Bronsted acid-type chelate extractants has some advantages including simplicity in controlling extraction selectivity by selecting suitable aqueous phase pH values and simple back-extraction recovery of the extracted metals using acid solutions. In this review, various fundamental and applied research on metal extraction using the "ionic liquid chelate extraction system" since 2001 are described in detail.