Di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid was used as extractant of bismuth ions from nitrate medium by emulsion liquid membrane, with Triton X-100 as the biodegradable surfactant in n-pentanol bulk membrane. The novelties and innovative points of this work are the application of emulsion liquid membrane for selective and efficient extraction of bismuth ions as well as the relevant optimization procedures. The extraction of bismuth ions was evaluated by the yield of extraction. The experimental parameters were evaluated and optimized, including the ratio of di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid mass concentration to Triton X-100 (1.0%: 0.5%), nature of diluent (n-pentanol), nature and concentration of stripping solution (sulfuric acid, 0.5 mol . L-1), stirring speed (1800 r . min(-1)) and equilibrium time of extraction (20 min), initial feed solution of bismuth (350 mg . L-1) and the volume ratio of internal stripping phase to membrane phase (14). The experimental parameters of kinetic extraction reveal that the bismuth ions can be extracted by 100%. (C) 2014 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.