Three- and Multi-Phase Extraction as a Tool for the Implementation of Liquid Membrane Separation Methods in Practice

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Liquid membrane separations offer industrial potential.
• Previous work proposed three- and multi-phase extraction techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate phenol extraction using three-phase extractors.
• To assess the viability of three-phase extraction for industrial wastewater treatment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three-phase extractors with convective circulation of the membrane phase.
• Employed butyl acetate as the extractant for phenol.
• Stripped phenol from the organic phase using 5-12% NaOH aqueous solutions.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful extraction of phenol from sulfuric acid solutions.
• Showcased the effectiveness of butyl acetate as an extractant.
• Indicated the potential for high phenol removal efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Three-phase extraction is a promising technology for phenol removal from wastewater.
• Cascading three-phase apparatuses can enhance extraction efficiency.
• The convective circulation method facilitates continuous membrane phase recycling.