Separation of organohalides from their microemulsions by the pervaporation technique: Application to the n-butyl bromide/SDS/n-butanol/water system

Abstract

An n-butyl bromide/sodium dodecyl sulfate/n-butanol/water microemulsion system was chosen as a model of an organohalide-containing microemulsion. Two systems were prepared using the Bourayne method: a water-rich system and an n-butyl-bromide-rich system. The destabilization of this micro-organized system and the phase separation were investigated. This microemulsion, in which the oil phase in the feed is the lower layer, was successfully destabilized using the pervaporation technique with polydimethylsiloxane and poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes. In this way, different factors governing the separation process were investigated such as the mass transfer and the effect of time and operating temperature on the microemulsion destabilization.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• n-butyl bromide/SDS/water/n-butanol
• microemulsion destabilization
• pervaporation technique
• matter transfer
• temperature

Acknowledgements

The authors extend their sincere appreciations to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this work through research group NO (RGP-1438-040)

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.