Predicting organic compound recovery efficiency of cloud point extraction with its quantitative structure-solubilization relationship

Recovery efficiency is an important parameter for cloud point extraction of organic compound, especially in preconcentration and recovery of organic pollutants for further chemical analysis. In this article, based on the solubilization equilibrium constant of organic compounds in aqueous nonionic surfactant micelles solution, a model about the recovery efficiency of cloud point extraction has been set up. A linear correlation between solubilization equilibrium constant and the quantitative structure of organic compounds log P value has been developed, which demonstrates that recovery efficiency can be estimated from the log P value of an organic compound. This prediction fits very well with an experimental result of cloud point extraction of phenolic compounds. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.