Surfactants
are used extensively in the production of numerous
consumer products. However, in many circumstances, they also contaminate
water. As a result, the removal of surfactant and its recovery have
become critical issues. In this work, the removal and recovery of
an anionic surfactant [i.e., sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS)]
from water by foam fractionation have been studied at 298 K in the
presence of methanol and ethanol. The study was done at and above
the critical micelle concentration of SDBS. The concentrations of
SDBS were 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg dm–3. The
air flow rate (AFR) was varied in the range of 0.4–1.6 dm3 min–1. About 77% of the surfactant was
recovered from the top of the column in the form of a semi-solid paste.
The addition of alcohol lowered the foam volume and surfactant recovery.
The enrichment ratio decreased with increasing AFR. The zeta potential
at the air–water interface was measured to determine the stability
of the foam, which was a significant factor in surfactant recovery.
The surface tension measurements revealed the surfactant’s
adsorption capacity at the air–water interface. About 95% of
water was recovered in the process. The findings from this study would
be important for surfactant applications in a variety of domains.
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