SEPARATION OF ANILINE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION USING EMULSION LIQUID MEMBRANES

SEPARATION OF ANILINE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION USING EMULSION LIQUID MEMBRANES

ABSTRACT

An emulsion liquid membrane process is developed to separate aniline from dilute aqueous solution. Aniline is a carcinogenic chemical common in industry and industrial wastewater. Due to aniline’s high boiling point (183oC) and low concentration in wastewater, more traditional methods of separation such as distillation are very energy intensive. This emulsion process is offered as a low energy alternative. All separations occur in a Rushton stirred tank. The membrane phase consists of kerosene and the surfactant sorbitan monooleate. Hydrogen chloride solution is the internal phase. This study also examines the effects of HCl concentration, aniline, concentration and the amount of emulsion on separation. Up to 99.5% of the aniline is removed from solutions containing 5000 ppm in an little as 4 min depending on process conditions. Leakage is minimal and swelling is only about 3% after 5 min of processing. Approximately 98% of the membrane phase (both kerosene and span 80) is successfully recovered and recycled by using heat and/or adding 2-propanol for demulsification.