oxalic acid solution and the loaded LP phase were contacted for 60
min at room temperature (21 ± 1 °C). The concentration of
oxalic acid used in stripping was the exact stoichiometric amount
needed for precipitation of all rare earths in the LP phase. For a
LP phase containing 0.9 g L–1 Dy(III), this corresponds
to 8.3 mmol L–1. After reaching equilibrium, the
phase separation was accelerated by centrifugation (Heraeus Labofuge
200, Thermo Scientific, United States). The remaining Dy(III) concentration
in the LP phase was determined via inductively coupled plasma-optical
emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), performed with an Avio 500 spectrometer
(PerkinElmer, United States) equipped with a GemCone low-flow nebulizer,
baffled cyclonic spray chamber, alumina injector, and PerkinElmer
Hybrid XLT torch. The samples of the LP phase, the calibration solutions,
the blank solution, and quality controls were diluted in 1-butanol,
with 5 ppm of scandium added as internal standard. The line at 353.170
nm for Dy(III) was measured in axial viewing mode.