CONTINUOUS ELECTROCHEMICALLY MODULATED COMPLEXATION SEPARATIONS PROCESS

A continuous electrochemically modulated complexation (EMC) process wa s devised to extract and concentrate a class of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. This design is composed of flow-through electrolysis cells for redox modulation and cycling of the complexing agent and hollow-fi ber membrane modules for phase contacting. The extent of both extracti on and concentration was found to depend mainly on the magnitude of th e distribution coefficients for both steps. Experimental results and m odeling of this continuous EMC process are reported, as well as potent ial applications for this process for other separations.