Phenol Removal From Waste Water by Liquid Membrane Technique

Abstract

Experimental investigation has been made on the removal of phenol from waste water by liquid membrane technique employing both batch and continuous operations. The effects of system variables, such as mixing intensity, phenol concenuration in the feed, concentration in the feed, concentration of sodium hydroxide, surfactant concentration, volume ration of surfactant solution to sodium hydroxide solution and volume ratio of feed to w/o emlsion, were analyzed systematically with batch opdration. For the continuous operation with a two-stage mixer-and-settler, the level of phenol concentration can be lowered by using 1 wt. percent and 0.5 wt. percent sodium hydroxide solution from 1,000 ppm. to below 5 ppm. which is the upper limit in the environmental protection act. Some advantages of liquid membrane technique over conventional removal methods such as solvent extraction and bioligical treatment were observed in the experiment.