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In the present work, removal of NaCl using the bulk liquid membrane (BLM) technique has been investigated, using a simple apparatus for conducting the experiments. Variables investigated were volume ratio of donor phase (DP) to receptor phase (RP), presence of sequestering agent (SA) in RP, type of organic liquid membrane (LM), quantity of mobile carrier (MC) in the LM. Stirring speed and volume of LM were kept constant at 100 rpm and 130 ml, respectively. The mass transfer of NaCl was analysed based on kinetic laws of two consecutive irreversible first-order reactions, and kinetic parameters (k1d,k2m,k2r,,tmax,, and) for the transport of NaCl were investigated. The values obtained demonstrate that the process is diffusionally controlled. Results indicate that the membrane entrance and exit rate constants (k1,k2) increase with decreasing DP:RP ratio and with decrease in quantity of MC, and quantity of SA, and the presence of dichloroethane (DCE) is preferred to chloroform (CF) as LM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is 25 years since the first report of a synthetic ion channel transporter. Today, dozens of molecular and supramolecular designs have been developed to facilitate ion and small molecule transport across a bilayer membrane. Presented here is a concise summary of the advances made over the past four years. The transporters are grouped into three mechanistic classes: mobile carrier, monomeric channel, and self-assembled pore. Common building blocks are crown ethers, steroids, cyclodextrins, peptides, curcubiturils, and calixarenes. The eventual goal is to produce functional supramolecular devices such as sensors, enzyme assays, and lead candidates for pharmaceutical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of cadmium and zinc from a dilute aqueous sulfate media using supported liquid membrane (SLM) technique has been studied. The microporous polypropylene film Celgard-2400 was used as the solid support for the liquid membrane and TOPS-99 was used as the mobile carrier. The effect of different parameters such as flow rate, pH of feed solution, extractant concentration in membrane phase, acid concentration in strip solution, and Cd(II) and Zn(II) concentration in feed solution on metal ion flux was studied. It was observed that a flow rate of 100 mL/min was sufficient to minimize the resistance due to an aqueous boundary layer at the feed solution membrane interface. The zinc flux increased with an increase of pH from 1.5 to 3.5 and then decreased with a further increase of pH. The cadmium permeation started at a higher pH, i.e., 3.0 and increased with increase of pH up to 3.5 followed by a plateau. Also, with an increase of TOPS-99 concentration in the membrane phase up to 200 mol/m3, JZn increased and then decreased. The separation factors for cadmium and zinc were calculated at different experimental conditions and are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]