The effects of benzamidoxime concentration, solvents and temperature on the degree of metal extraction were investigated to apply benzamidoxime to heavy metal extraction as chelating agent.
Benzamidoxime was synthesized from benzonitrile with hydroxylamine. The chemical structure of benzamidoxime was identified. The degree of heavy metal extraction was increased with increasing the concentration of benzamidoxime and decreasing the extraction temperature. Benzamidoxime was found to be an effective extractant for Cu-extraction by benzene or chloroform. The relationship between the thermodynamic overall equilibrium constant and absolute temperature was expressed as log K = -5.56 + 855T-1. Heat of extraction, △H˚ were calculated from overall equilibrium constants at various temperature and the extraction reaction by benzamidoxime was found to be exthothermic.