LiquidLiquidExtraction

Liquid-liquid extraction, also known as solvent extraction or partitioning, is a separation process that relies on the differing solubilities of components in two immiscible liquid phases. Typically, one phase is aqueous (water-based) and the other is organic (a solvent immiscible with water). The process involves mixing the two phases together, allowing the desired solute to transfer from one phase to the other based on its relative affinity for each solvent. After mixing, the phases are allowed to separate, usually due to density differences, and the phase containing the enriched solute is collected. This technique is widely used in various fields, including chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, and analytical chemistry for purification, recovery, and analysis of substances. The efficiency of the extraction depends on factors such as the choice of solvents, temperature, contact time, and the partition coefficient, which quantifies the relative solubility of the solute in the two phases. Multiple extraction stages can be employed to improve the overall separation.