Spectroscopic study of water-NaCl-benzene mixtures at high temperatures and pressures

Near-infrared and ultraviolet spectra of water-NaCl-benzene mixtures have been measured in the 473-573 K and 100-400 bar range and 373-498 K and 50-300 bar range, respectively. Concentrations of water in the benzene-rich phase and benzene in the water-rich phase were estimated from integrated intensities of the absorption bands. It is found that addition of NaCl in the aqueous phase suppresses transfer of water into the benzene-rich phase, and the relative decrease in water solubility in benzene exhibits good correlation with an increase in density of the aqueous NaCl solution relative to that of neat water. The salting-out constant for the water-NaCl-benzene system, which is estimated from a relative decrease in benzene solubility in the aqueous phase by addition of sodium chloride, increases significantly with increasing temperature. It is suggested that the effect of sodium chloride on the water-benzene mutual solubilities can be explained by ion-induced electrostriction of the aqueous phase.