Extraction of 2-chloroethanol from aqueous solutions by trioctylamine

The trioctylamine (TOA) with kerosene as a diluent was used to separate 2-chloroethanol from aqueous hydrochloride acid solution. The stoichiometry of complex data was studied with infrared spectroscopic and the result shows that the ratio of 2-chloroethanol to amine in the complex was 1:2. The equilibrium constant was assumed to be 4.05 × 105. Effects of temperature, equilibrium pH, TOA concentration, organic phase to aqueous (O/A) phase ratio and contact time on extraction yield of 2-chloroethanol were investigated. The results show that extraction yield can reach 58.2% under the optimum conditions.