Abstract
In the present study, CPE was carried out to extract phenol species from aqueous solution using the non-ionic silicone surfactant of DC193C. The non-ionic silicone surfactant of DC193C was chosen because of it is well known as an environmentally friendly solvent. The adsorption mechanism between the non-ionic silicone surfactant of DC193C and phenol species was studied. Our results indicate that, the adsorption of the phenol species from aqueous solution on the DC193C surfactant was in proportion to their hydrophobicities, according to the following order; 4-NP < 2,4-DCP < 2,4,6-TCP. The data of the equilibrium concentration and amount of adsorption in the CPE system for the three phenols species follow the Langmuir-type isotherm. On some assumptions, a developed Langmuir isotherm was used to calculate the feed surfactant concentration required for the removal of the three phenol species up to the extraction efficiency of 90%. The developed correlations may be useful to design a cloud point extractor of a desired efficiency. Thermodynamic parameters including the Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°) were also calculated. These parameters indicated that the adsorption of the three phenol species solubilized into the non-ionic DC193C surfactant is feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic in the temperature ranging from 298 to 353 K.
Acknowledgements
Authors would like to seize this opportunity to express their gratitude to University Malaya for the Postgraduate Research Grant (IPPP grant, PV040/2012A), University of Malaya. The authors also acknowledge the Integrative Medicine Cluster (IMC), Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), University of Science Malaysia and MOHE for providing fellowship to one of the authors-cum-researchers, Mrs Nur Nadhirah Mohamad Zain.