To evaluate possibility for simultaneous removal of heavy metals and phenol from wastewater by emulsion liquid membrane(ELM) process, various kinds of experiments analyses have been carried out to find the optimum condition.
The result show that ELM process is capable of reducing the concentration of $Cd^{2+}$, $Cr^{6+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$ and phenol from 10 ppm to less than 0.1ppm under batch or continuous flow conditions. The simultaneous removal of heavy metals and phenol is possible, otherwise two different type processes, e.g., physical and biological process have been required. And the experimental result using a fuel kerosene as liquid membrane phase are very similar to that of pure reagent kerosene, when is more expensive.
The equilibrium lines of heavy metals and phenol by ELM are favorable types of isotherm. Removal capacity of emulsion for $Cu^{2+}$ and phenol is larger than that of the other heavy metals.
Process analysis has been carried out using plate theory in chromatography (i.e. Z = H·N) to find the characteristics of active zone in which pollutants is actively removed. Size of active zone has an important effect on the required size of real reactor, that is, capital cost. Also serious effects of emulsion stability are discussed.
In order to find optimum operation condition by cost analysis, capital cost and operation cost were calculated from the terms of size of active zone and required dosing rate of emulsion, respectively.
