Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Water Separations by a Pressure-Driven Membrane Separation Process

This project is concerned with the removal of aromatic hydrocarbons from water by a pressure-driven membrane separation process. In this paper, the reverse osmosis separation of single solute aqueous solutions is reported. Data are presented for three solutes (benzene, toluene, and cumene) at feed concentrations ranging from 5 to 260 ppm under four applied pressures and using six cellulose acetate membranes of different surface porosity. The results are explained in terms of the magnitude and direction of solute-membrane interactions. © 1983, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.