Pertraction of methylene blue using a mixture of D2EHPA/M2EHPA and sesame oil as a liquid membrane

Abstract

AbstractAn experimental study on the pertraction of methylene blue (MB) through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) using a mixture of mono-(2-etylhexyl) ester of phosphoric acid (M2EHPA) and bis-(2-etylhexyl) ester of phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and sesame oil as the liquid membrane (LM) was performed. Parameters affecting the pertraction of MB such as initial MB concentration, carrier concentration, feed phase pH, and stripping phase concentration were analyzed. Optimal experimental conditions for MB pertraction (permeability of 5.63 × 10−6) were obtained after a 7 h separation with the MB concentration in the feed phase of 80 mg L−1, D2EHPA/M2EHPA concentration in membrane phase of 40 vol. %, feed pH of 6, and acetic acid concentration in the stripping phase of 0.4 mol L−1. Kinetics of transport and stability of the SLM system were also studied and the mass transfer coefficient for this system was evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to morphologically characterize the membrane surface.