Reactive Extraction of Formic Acid by using Tri Octyl Amine (TOA)

Distribution of formic acid (methanoic acid) between water and tri octyl amine (TOA) dissolved in various alcohols (isoamyl alcohol, hexan-1-ol, octan-1-ol, nonan-1-ol, decan-1-ol) as diluents, as well as the extraction capacity of pure diluent alone have been studied at isothermal conditions. All measurements were carried out at 298.15 K. The difference between the physical extraction and reactive extraction was studied. The loading factor, T(T), extraction efficiency, D(E), modified separation factor, S(F), and, distribution coefficients, K(D) were calculated. The isoamylalcohol was found most effective solvent with maximum distribution value of 14.521. Possible equilibrium complexation constants for (acid: amine) (5:1), (6:1), and (7:1) have been determined as values of about 21.8 x 10(3), 15.6 x 10(4), and 11.1 x 10(5) for K(51), K(61), and K(71), respectively with isoamylalcohol. Furthermore, Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) model equation has been obtained to calculate distribution coefficients for alcohols with regression coefficient of 0.981.