Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review
Organophosphorus compounds (OPC) are a large class of organic compounds that provide a wide range of applications, and their importance has grown steadily in recent years. In each category and family, these compounds have similarities and differences. Due to their immense variety, these chemicals ha...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/5/524 |
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| author | Meriem Essakhraoui Aziz Boukhair Fouad Bentiss Hamid Mazouz Redouane Beniazza Nils Haneklaus |
| author_facet | Meriem Essakhraoui Aziz Boukhair Fouad Bentiss Hamid Mazouz Redouane Beniazza Nils Haneklaus |
| author_sort | Meriem Essakhraoui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Organophosphorus compounds (OPC) are a large class of organic compounds that provide a wide range of applications, and their importance has grown steadily in recent years. In each category and family, these compounds have similarities and differences. Due to their immense variety, these chemicals have various properties and, therefore, various applications. In fact, various works have been published recently that present the main applications of OPC, especially in metal extraction. Despite their extemsive range of use, optimizing their performance as extractant agents remains a challenge due to their structural variability and sensitivity to process parameters. This review provides a critical analysis of pentavalent OPCs, focusing on how their chemical nature influences heavy metal extraction efficiency. For the first time, we present a novel classification system for OPCs based on phosphorus valency and heteroatom coordination, offering a framework to guide future research. Our findings reveal that the direct coordination of the phosphorus to heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen has a great influence on the physicochemical characteristics of the extractant and the metal extraction efficiency. This observation is in line with Pearson’s Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory in the sense that it demonstrates that altering the heteroatom alters the metal affinity of the ligand. As a result, these structural modifications can improve the extraction performance by up to 40% for some heavy metals, highlighting the potential for optimized molecular designs to maximize industrial applications. In the future, this work offers a solid foundation for future studies on the rational design of organophosphorus-based extractants. Using HSAB theory and our novel classification system, researchers can rationally design OPCs for their target metal with unparalleled precision. These results have transformative impacts on metal recovery efficiency-intensive sectors like mining, waste recycling, and clean energy technologies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d27cd97d2c44ba6bd9ab1a785e3e3c0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d27cd97d2c44ba6bd9ab1a785e3e3c02025-08-20T02:34:01ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012025-05-0115552410.3390/met15050524Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive ReviewMeriem Essakhraoui0Aziz Boukhair1Fouad Bentiss2Hamid Mazouz3Redouane Beniazza4Nils Haneklaus5Faculty of Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida 24000, MoroccoFaculty of Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida 24000, MoroccoFaculty of Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida 24000, MoroccoExpertise Center for Phosphate (CEPH), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoInstitute of Science, Technology & Innovation (IST&I), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoInstitute of Science, Technology & Innovation (IST&I), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoOrganophosphorus compounds (OPC) are a large class of organic compounds that provide a wide range of applications, and their importance has grown steadily in recent years. In each category and family, these compounds have similarities and differences. Due to their immense variety, these chemicals have various properties and, therefore, various applications. In fact, various works have been published recently that present the main applications of OPC, especially in metal extraction. Despite their extemsive range of use, optimizing their performance as extractant agents remains a challenge due to their structural variability and sensitivity to process parameters. This review provides a critical analysis of pentavalent OPCs, focusing on how their chemical nature influences heavy metal extraction efficiency. For the first time, we present a novel classification system for OPCs based on phosphorus valency and heteroatom coordination, offering a framework to guide future research. Our findings reveal that the direct coordination of the phosphorus to heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen has a great influence on the physicochemical characteristics of the extractant and the metal extraction efficiency. This observation is in line with Pearson’s Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory in the sense that it demonstrates that altering the heteroatom alters the metal affinity of the ligand. As a result, these structural modifications can improve the extraction performance by up to 40% for some heavy metals, highlighting the potential for optimized molecular designs to maximize industrial applications. In the future, this work offers a solid foundation for future studies on the rational design of organophosphorus-based extractants. Using HSAB theory and our novel classification system, researchers can rationally design OPCs for their target metal with unparalleled precision. These results have transformative impacts on metal recovery efficiency-intensive sectors like mining, waste recycling, and clean energy technologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/5/524organophosphorus compoundsorganophosphatesreagentsmetals extractionheavy metals |
| spellingShingle | Meriem Essakhraoui Aziz Boukhair Fouad Bentiss Hamid Mazouz Redouane Beniazza Nils Haneklaus Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review Metals organophosphorus compounds organophosphates reagents metals extraction heavy metals |
| title | Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full | Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_fullStr | Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_short | Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_sort | advances in heavy metal extraction using organophosphorus compounds a comprehensive review |
| topic | organophosphorus compounds organophosphates reagents metals extraction heavy metals |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/5/524 |
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