FOAM COUNTERCURRENT CHROMATOGRAPHY BASED ON DUAL COUNTERCURRENT SYSTEM

A novel method of performing foam separation is described. The method utilizes a gas-liquid dual countercurrent flow through a helical column subjected to a particular type of synchronous planetary motion. Samples introduced at the middle portion of the column, either batch or continuous mode, are separated according to the foam affinity. Capability of this foam countercurrent chromatographic method is demonstrated on separations of rhodamine B and Evans blue with an anionic surfactant, SDS, as a collector of rhodamine B.