Recovery of Eu and Y from Waste Fluorescent Lamps

Abstract

Eu and Y were extracted from waste fluorescent lamps containing ~0.3% Eu and 7% Y by acidic leaching, hydrolytic precipitation and/or solvent extraction. The leaching tests showed that about 90% Eu and 95% Y were leached in 3M HCl or 3M HNO 3 at 80°C, liquid to solid ratio 10:1 in 30 min. Leaching in H 2 SO 4 provided lower Eu and Y extraction efficiency. Only around 85% Eu and 80% Y were extracted at temperatures higher than 70°C. Eu and Y started precipitating simultaneously at pH 1.5 and the precipitation completed at ~ pH 2. Solvent extraction of Eu and Y from sulfate solutions using D2EHPA is strongly influenced by solution pH. At pH 1.4 about 80% Eu and 100%Y were extracted while at pH 1.16 only 25% Eu was extracted together with 90% Y.