An investigation of solubility of aliquat 336 in different extracted solutions

A major concern in solvent extraction processes is the loss of extractant into the aqueous phase due to its slight solubility in the aqueous phase. Similarly, in membrane extraction processes, extractant loss through extractant leakage from the membrane into the aqueous phase is also a concern. Several published membrane extraction studies using Aliquat 336 as the extractant, have expressed this concern, but none has studied extractant leakage quantitatively. It is the authors’ opinion that the extractant leakage should be considered as a technical parameter of a membrane. In our laboratory active progress has been made in using Aliquat 336 ‘entangled’ into the polymer membranes to remove heavy metal ions from wastewater samples. In this work, we studied the loss of Aliquat 336 from the point of view of its solubility in aqueous solutions. The results showed that the solubilities of Aliquat 336 in an aqueous phase acidified with 2 M HCl is about 0.1 g/100 m/ of the solution. This figure provides a useful guideline for evaluating the leakage of the Aliquat 336 extractant from the membranes.

Studies on the behaviour of polystyrene in reversed phase chromatography

Polystyrene behaviour in reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography was influenced mainly by the solvent system, but secondary affects were observed depending on the stationary phase. A variety of reversed phase columns were investigated using mobile phase combinations of dichlorom ethane-methanol, dichloromethane-acetonitrile, ethyl acetate-methanol and ethyl acetate-acetonitrile. Several different modes of behaviour were observed depending on the polymer solubility in the solvent system. In the dichloromethane-methanol solvent system, polymer-stationary phase interactions only occurred when the molecules had pore access. Retention of excluded polystyrene depended on the kinetics of precipitation and redissolution of the polymer. Peak splitting and band broadening occurred when the kinetics were slow and molecular weight separations were limited !o oligomers and polystyrenes lower than 5-10(4) dalton. Excellent molecular weight separations of polystyrenes were obtained using gradient elution reversed phase chromatography with a dichloromethane-acetonitrile mobile phase on C18 columns. The retention was based on polymer-stationary phase interactions regardless of the column pore size. Separations were obtained on large diameter pellicular adsorbents that were almost as good as those obtained on porous adsorbents, showing that pore access was not essential for the retention of high molecular weight polystyrenes. In the best example, the separation ranged from the monomer to 10(6) dalton in a single analysis. Very little adsorption of excluded polymers was observed on C8 or phenyl columns. Polystyrene molecular weight separations to 7-10(5) dalton were obtained in an ethyl acetate-acetonitrile solvent system on C18 columns. Adsorption was responsible for retention. When an ethyl acetate-methanol solvent system was used, no molecular weight separations were obtained because of complex peak splitting. Reversed phase chromatography was compared to size exclusion chromatography for the analysis of polydisperse polystyrenes. Similar results were obtained using both methods. However, the reversed phase method was less sensitive to concentration effects and gave better resolution.

Biodegradation of pentachlorophenol in a membrane bioreactor

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a toxic chemical, often used in the formulation of pesticide, herbicide, anti fungal agent, bactericide and wood preservative. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential of membrane bioreactor (MBR) to treat PCP contaminated wastewater. Synthetic wastewater with COD of 600 mg/L was fed into the MBR at varied PCP loading rate of 12–40 mg/m3/d. A PCP removal rate of 99% and a COD removal rate of 95% were achieved at a hydraulic retention time of 12 hs and a mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration of 10,000 mg/L. When sodium pentachlorophenol (NaPCP), which has higher solubility in water, was used in the second phase of the study, at loading rates varying from 20 to 200 mg/m3·d, the removal rate of NaPCP was higher than 99% and the removal rate of COD was more than 96%. It was also found that at higher biomass concentrations, biosorption played an important role besides the biodegradation process. Batch experiments conducted in this study revealed that the sorption capacity to be 0.63 (mg PCP/g biomass) and occurred rapidly within 60 min. This phenomenon could enhance the PCP degradation through increased contact between microorganism and PCP. Further, the membrane resistance was low (trans-membrane pressure of 14 kPa) even after more than 100 ds of operation. In addition, the toxic level of PCP in the influent could have induced the microorganisms to secrete more extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS) for their protection, which in turn must have increased the viscosity of the mixed liquor.

The role of nano colloid of TiO2 and butane tetra carboxylic acid on the alkali solubility and hydrophilicity of proteinous fibers

One of the main problems of wool as an important proteinous fiber is low resistance against alkali media. Finding a way to solve this problem without any influences on other fiber characteristics is still a matter of research. Using nano particles on textile materials is a new approach to produce novel properties. Here, nano titanium dioxide (NTO) particles along with butane tetra carboxylic acid (BTCA) were sonicated in the ultra sound bath and applied as a nano colloid on the wool fabric. BTCA played different roles as wool cross-linker, a polyanionic agent, and stabilizer for nano TiO2. Various concentrations of NTO and BTCA were applied through impregnation of the fabric in ultrasonic bath followed by curing. The resistance of fabrics against alkali was assessed by solubility in sodium hydroxide and the hydrophilicity monitored by the water drop absorption time and the contact angle before and after UV irradiation. Interestingly, the alkali solubility of the nano TiO2 treated wool fabrics reduced while the fabric became more hydrophilic. This fact was shown by the testing results and is thoroughly discussed in the article. The response surface methodology (RSM) was also applied to find the optimum conditions for the wool fabric treatment.

Modification of wool fiber using steam explosion

Wool fiber was modified by steam explosion in this study. SEM results show that some scales on the fiber surface were cleaved and tiny grooves generated during the explosion. FTIR results suggest no evident changes in the chemical composition of the fiber after the explosion treatment. However, the crystallinity of the fiber decreased slightly as the steam pressure increased based on the X-ray results. In the thermal analysis, DSC results show that the temperature corresponding to vaporization of absorbed water and cleavage of disulfide bonds respectively decreased as the steam pressure increased. The reduction in thermal decomposition energy of the treated fiber indicates that steam explosion might have destroyed some crystals and crosslinks of macromolecular chains in the fiber. The treatment also led to some alterations of the fiber properties, including reduction in strength, moisture regain and solubility in caustic solution.

Synthesis and characterization of soluble conducting polymers

Although conducting polymers have various potential applications, lack of solubility is an impediment in their direct application to material surfaces. Synthesis of alkyl pyrrole monomers and subsequent polymerization into soluble conducting polymers are aimed as alternatives to conventional methods of application of conducting polymers on substrates. Alkyl chains are attached to a pyrrole ring to produce solubility in the resulting conducting polypyrroles, which allow direct application of conductive polymer emulsions to any desired surface. Friedel-Crafts acylation of the tosyl-protected pyrrole provides high yields of the 3-acylated product. The conductivity values of poly-3- and 3, 4-substituted pyrroles are generally less than the unmodified polypyrrole. Increasingly bulkier groups attached to the pyrrole means lower conductivity of the resultant polymer. As the carbon chain length attached to the 3-position of pyrrole increases, the solubility also increases. However, the magnitude of change in conductivity of films and pellets of soluble conducting polypyrroles over the alkyl range is not significant.

Removal of natural organic matter though membrane filtration and subsequent effect on disinfectant decay

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of membrane filtration in removing natural organic matters (NOMs) from four different source waters and the subsequent effect that it has on total chlorine (TC) demand of these waters. Source water samples were filtered sequentially through membranes with molecular weight cut-off of 3,500, 1,000 and 200 Da as well as RO membrane. The source waters and sequentially filtered samples were dosed with chlorine and the residual chlorine data were used to estimate the TC demand of these waters. A robust chlorine decay model constructed in AQUASIM software was used to do so. More than 80% of the chlorine demand in untreated surface water sources was found to be contributed mainly by NOMs that were larger than 3,500 Da. However, for water treated by granular filtration, the chlorine demand was found to be contributed by NOMs which were down to 200 Da. Sequential filtration through all four membranes reduced chlorine demand by more than 94% in surface waters and 84% in waters treated by granular filtration. Significant reduction in the formation of trihalomethane can be achieved if water is treated by appropriate membranes after granular media filtration. © 2014 © 2014 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Silica fouling in high salinity waters in reverse osmosis desalination (sodium-silica system)

Silica fouling patterns in a sodium–silica system and the effect of pH on residual dissolved silica concentrations are reported. The unique chemical affinity between sodium and silica (SO4) prevented silica scale deposition on the membrane surface during reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. It was found that high concentrations of sodium in solutions depressed silica solubility to 81–84 mg L−1 for a maximum NaCl salinity of 60–65 g L−1. Using a range of membrane examination techniques, it was found that no silica scale formed on the RO membrane surfaces from NaCl solutions free from cations such as Ca, Al and Fe. This was considered to be the result of sodium ions acting as a barrier between polymeric silica and the membrane surface.