KINETIC-STUDY OF THE EMULSION BREAKAGE DURING METALS EXTRACTION BY LIQUID SURFACTANT MEMBRANES (LSM) FROM SIMULATED AND INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS

A study on emulsion stability during metals extraction by liquid surfactant membranes (LSM) process has been conducted. The investigations were focussed on the emulsion performance during metals permeation from simulated and industrial effluents. To examine the internal aqueous phase leakage which is a symptom of emulsion instability, the internal tracer technique has been applied. The effect of the membrane composition and particularly tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) on the stability has been investigated extensively. It has been revealed that, there exists an optimal range of TBP concentrations where a maximum metal extraction and minimum emulsion instability can be achieved. The internal phase leakage model proposed by Boyadzhiev and co-workers has been modified to meet the present system hydrodynamical conditions. The experimental data fit quite well the proposed model.