CONTINUOUS ABSORPTION OF TOLUENE VAPOR BY MICELLAR SOLUTIONS AND THE RESULTING MICROEMULSIONS.

Abstract

Microemulsions consisting of AOT-H//2O-toluene-hexyl carbitol (HC) or butyl carbitol (BC) were investigated in relation to the relative vapor pressure of toluene (P/P//o). The microemulsions generally revealed high (P/P//o). The relatively lower (P/P//o) was only obtained from those containing 10% and 15% AOT at higher levels of HC and BC respectively. From the linear plot of (P/P//o) against the volume fraction of toluene, the transition from micellar solution to microemulsion was evident. It was concluded that the microemulsions studied were not efficient in scrubbing toluene vapor, but they were much more effective than their respective micellar solutions.