Evaluating "Eco-Friendly" Solvents for Extracting and Recovering Toxic Dyestuffs From Wastewater
Mentor 1
Mark Dietz
Start Date
28-4-2023 12:00 AM
Description
Wastes from textile dyeing represent a major source of water pollution in many countries (e.g., China and India), posing significant health and environmental risks due to their mutagenic or carcinogenic properties and resistance to biodegradation. It is estimated that up to half of all dye used is lost during coloration processes, resulting in the release of millions of tons of dye-laden wastes into the environment each year. The development of effective and economical processes for the removal of these compounds from wastewater is therefore of great importance to the textile industry. Liquid-liquid extraction represents one means by which this might be accomplished, but extraction processes often require the use of toxic organic solvents that pose further health risks. In this project, two “green” solvents, butyl acetate (BuOAc) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) are being evaluated as media for the removal of dyes from wastewater. Unlike many organic solvents, these can be obtained either from natural sources (BuOAc) or synthesized without the generation of by-products (CPME). Initial results using representative dye families indicate that CPME is less effective than BuOAc as an extraction solvent. That is, while extraction into CPME appears to be limited to low pH aqueous phases, BuOAc has also proven effective for use in extraction from alkaline solution.
Evaluating "Eco-Friendly" Solvents for Extracting and Recovering Toxic Dyestuffs From Wastewater
Wastes from textile dyeing represent a major source of water pollution in many countries (e.g., China and India), posing significant health and environmental risks due to their mutagenic or carcinogenic properties and resistance to biodegradation. It is estimated that up to half of all dye used is lost during coloration processes, resulting in the release of millions of tons of dye-laden wastes into the environment each year. The development of effective and economical processes for the removal of these compounds from wastewater is therefore of great importance to the textile industry. Liquid-liquid extraction represents one means by which this might be accomplished, but extraction processes often require the use of toxic organic solvents that pose further health risks. In this project, two “green” solvents, butyl acetate (BuOAc) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) are being evaluated as media for the removal of dyes from wastewater. Unlike many organic solvents, these can be obtained either from natural sources (BuOAc) or synthesized without the generation of by-products (CPME). Initial results using representative dye families indicate that CPME is less effective than BuOAc as an extraction solvent. That is, while extraction into CPME appears to be limited to low pH aqueous phases, BuOAc has also proven effective for use in extraction from alkaline solution.
