(572c) A New Benign Separation System: Hydrophilic Ionic Liquids-Glucose-Water

Abstract: A new aqueous bi-phase system composed of ionic liquids (ILs), glucose and water was proposed. It became turbidity and separated into two aqueous phases after equilibrium when hydrophilic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]), was added to glucose solution. The ionic liquid was concentrated in the lower phase, and the glucose was mainly distributed in the upper phase. The binary curves and the tie lines of the [bmim][BF4]-glucose-water systems were determined at temperatures ranging from 278K to 308K. It is found that the aqueous two-phase region decreases with the increasing temperature, which is contrast to polymer-salt systems and consistent to polymer-polymer systems. Phase separation mechanism was explored from the point view of micro-interactions and micro-structures. Comparing with ILs-salts-water systems, the proposed systems are more environmental benign and the phase-forming components can be recovered easily. The partitioning behavior of several organic components (e.g., phenol) in the proposed system was investigated, which offers an indispensable knowledge for the extraction and biodegradation of organic waste (e.g., phenol) in two-phase partitioning bioreactor.