HOLLOW FIBER CONTAINED LIQUID MEMBRANE SEPARATION OF CITRIC-ACID

Citric acid was successfully separated from an aqueous solution using the hollow fiber contained liquid membrane (HFCLM) technique. In this technique, the organic liquid membrane is contained in the shell side between two sets of hollow fibers; feed solution flows through one set of fibers and the strip solution flows through the other set. Tri-n-octylamine diluted in various organic solvents was used as a complexing agent for facilitated transport of citric acid from an aqueous solution. Pure water and aqueous sodium hydroxide were used as stripping agents. Membrane life and stability problems encountered in supported liquid membranes are eliminated. A mathematical model of facilitated solute transport through HFCLM that accounts for the interfacial reversible reaction kinetics and diffusion process inherent in carrier-facilitated transport is presented. Experimental data agreed well with the theoretical predictions for permeators achieving almost complete solute recovery.