Liquid Membranes: Principles and Applications in Chemical Separations and Wastewater Treatment

Liquid Membranes: Principles and Applications in Chemical Separations and Wastewater Treatment discusses the principles and applications of the liquid membrane (LM) separation processes in organic and inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, gas separation, and wastewater treatment. It presents updated, useful, and systematized information on new LM separation technologies, along with new developments in the field. It provides an overview of LMs and LM processes, and it examines the mechanisms and kinetics of carrier-facilitated transport through LMs. It also discusses active transport, driven by oxidation-reduction, catalytic, and bioconversion reactions on the LM interfaces; modifications of supported LMs; bulk aqueous hybrid LM processes with water-soluble carriers; emulsion LMs and their applications; and progress in LM science and engineering. This book will be of value to students and young researchers who are new to separation science and technology, as well as to scientists and engineers involved in the research and development of separation technologies, LM separations, and membrane reactors.

• Provides comprehensive knowledge-based information on the principles and applications of a variety of liquid membrane separation processes
• Contains a critical analysis of new technologies published in the last 15 years

Membrane separations, with their intrinsic characteristics of efficiency and operational simplicity, high selectivity and permeability, compatibility between different operations in integrated systems, low energy requirements, good stability under operating conditions and environmental compatibility, easy control and scale-up, and large operational flexibility, are an essential strategy in the rationalization of chemical production.

Liquids that are immiscible with the source (feed) and receiving (product) phases can also be used as membrane materials. They are defined as liquid membranes, a separation technology that has grown rapidly over the last few decades. This book covers the science, engineering, and applications of liquid membrane separations in a variety of fields: analytical, inorganic, and organic chemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, and wastewater treatment. Research and development activities within these disciplines involve diverse applications of liquid membrane technology, such as gas separations, recovery of valued or toxic metals, removal of organic compounds, development of sensing devices, and recovery of fermentation products and some other biological systems.

This book contains detailed and specialized information in this rapidly growing field for scientists and engineers working in the research and development of separation technologies and will serve as a valuable reference for students studying separation processes, liquid membrane separations, and membrane reactors, providing:

• Comprehensive, knowledge-based information on the principles and applications of a variety of liquid membrane separation processes.
• A critical analysis of new technologies
• Links between different methods and attempts to unify general theoretical considerations of liquid membrane separations