Simultaneous extraction and stripping of 4-chlorophenol from aqueous solutions by emulsion liquid membrane

Chlorophenols (CPs) are hazardous phenolic compounds that are produced by direct chlorination of phenol in water treatment systems. They are among the most harmful substances in water and wastewater. They are toxic even in very low concentrations. So recovery and reuse methods for the treatment of effluents containing CPs (instead of destructive methods such as chemical oxidation and incineration) should be urgently developed. In the present study, the extraction of 4-CP from aqueous solutions by using emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) technique has been investigated. An effective ELM technique was used for extraction and recovery of 4-CP from aqueous solutions. The effect of feed concentration, initial pH value, internal reagent concentration, and stirring speed has been studied. The results showed at the ELM system is able to extract the solute from a feed containing 100 ppm of 4-CP within less than 5 min, completely.