applying the taguchi design to optimize effective parameters for removal of heavy metals of wet process phosphoric acid in liquid-liquid extraction column

In the present study, the removal of heavy metals (arsenic (as) and mercury (hg))from wet process phosphoric acid using 2-ethylhexanol solvent plus 20% tributylphosphate through applying the taguchi design have been investigated# three parameters including mixing intensity, time, and organic to aqueous phase ratio, have been studied in the packed bed vertical column# the recycle flow to column has been used for higher contact of two phases, developing residence time and better mass transfer# also the mixing intensity parameter has been investigated by adjusting the rate of the recycle flow# the concentration of as and hg has been measured and the removal percentage of them in acid has been calculated at each step# as and hg have respectively been decreased by 89#72% and 95#32% applying the taguchi predictive statistical method considering the optimal parameters#