5. Solvent Extraction. The most important application of the bees tribution law is in the process of extraction, in the laboratory as well as in industry. In the laboratory, for instance, il is frequently used for the ‘ removal of a dissolved organic substance from aqueous solution with sol- vents such as benzene, ether, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, etc. The advantage is taken of the fact that the partition coefficient of most of the organic compounds is very largely in favour of organic solvents. Tt can be shown in a simple way that with a given volume of an extracting liquid, the extraction is more complete if it is used in a number of instalments than if the whole of it is used in a single operation. Suppose, one litre of an aqueous solution contains A grams of an organic solute and that one litre of ether is available as the extracting liquid. Let the partition coefficient of the solute between ether and water be 2. If all the ether is used at once, then, x, the amount that passes into ethereal layer, will be given by the equation /1000 (4 —x/1000 ~ * B25) x=iA (27) Thus, only 66-7 per cent of the solute will be extracted. If, on the other hand, the extraction is carried out by using ether in two instalments, each of 500 ml, then x,, the amount extracted in the first operation, will be given by the equation ,/500 (—x,)/1000 ~ 7 C3 or x, = AQ (29) Thus, 50 per cent of the solute is taken out in the first extractio’Therefore, ql In other words, the total amount of the solute that is extracted from 66-7 to 75 per cent if the same one litre of ether is instalments instead of one. Similarly, it ean be shown tha ifthe extraction is carried out instalments, the amount extracted will be 80-2 per cont and if instalments, the amount extracted will be 83°8 per cent. In many ca Partition coefficient is much more than 2 and hence, even in Sperations, practically the whole of the solute can be extracted. In case, itis evident that the process of extraction is more efficient if its ‘out in parts. Its possible to derive a general formula which enables the cle tion of the amount that islet unextracted after a given number of ops tions. Let V ml of a solution containing W gr olute be rep extracted with v ml of another solvent which is immiscible with the fi Lot w; be the mass of the solute that remains unexiracted at the the first operation. Then, Kp will be given by or Similarly, at the end of the second extraction, the amount Wz remains unexiracted is given by KV. = KVee KV. (Era) In general, the amount that remains unextracted at the end of tions, ¥,, will be given by KV vn Mf w( KV + a) It is evident that in order to make w, as small as possible, for @ value of Kp, should be as large as possible. But nxv is e total volume of the extracting liquid available, ie, it is constant. , it is better to keep m large and v small, rather than the reve efficiency of extraction increases by increasing the other words, the € of extractions using time. only a small amount of the extracting"‘VRVR Cupe e o aay Example 2. The distribution coefficient of iodine between tetrachloride and water is 85 in favour of carbon tetrachloride. Calcul Volume of carbon tetrachloride required for 95% extraction of iodine ml of aqueous solution in a single stage extraction, Solution : Ulea,/Ushj0 = 85 Hence, Urli,0/Maleci,= 185 = Ky (Note this step) After the extraction of 95% iodine, According to Eq. 36, 5% still remains unextracted. KV yn 7 ™( ara) KWVty W=100, V=100 ml and Kp =1/85. The volume v is In the present case, n=1, w to be determined. ‘Substituting the various values in Eq. (i), we have _S_ _ _ 185x100 100 ~ 1/85*100 + v z » = 22-35 ml Example 3. For the distribution of an organic solute between water ( and chloroform (c,), the following results were obtained : 0-0160 0-0237 g 0-338 0-753 Determine the molecular state of the solute in chloroform. Solution : Let us assume that cfc; = Ky (Nernst distribution For the first step, calc, = 0-338/0-0160 = 21-1 and for the second step, €, 0-753/0-0237 = 31:8. The two values are different, hence our assumption is wro Let us now assume that Vé,/c, = Kp, ice, the solute exists as a dimer in We find that for the first and the second steps, the values of Vez/ey are 36- respectively. Since the two values are practically the same, hence Wee, solute thus exists as a dimer in chloroform. oeeee ee ee ee has s solute thus exists as a dimer in chloroform. Example 4. When 0-83 g of succinic acid was shaken with 100 ml each of water and ether, the water layer was found to contain 0-70 g of the acid. Cal- Seole ‘ 1 litre of ether sete: culate the quantity of the acid that can be extracted from eaten containing 1 g of the acid using 100 ml of water (i) in two equal instalmer and (ii) in a single stage extraction. Saher _ 0-13 Sol : = = — = 0-19 ution: Ky = 2 =p = OH According to Eq. 36, @_In the first case : W = 1g; V=1000 mI; a 0191000 ml 2 = 1 8\ 9-19x1000 ml + 50 mi ‘This is the amount left unextracted. Hence, the amount extracted = 1:0 g — 0-627 g = 0-373 2 (ii) Im the second case = W = 1g; V=1000 ml ; v=100 ml; k os ( 019% 1000 ml 1 r re Bee. ee) = 0-655 g PPh amount extzscied ‘= 10/5 — 0:655 5 = MS _ Thus, the amount extracted is greater if the extraction is carned out in two >