Project Overview

This project addresses the economics (solvent recycling) and the environmental impact (residual solvent in extraction gangue) of the NAE process.  Both thermal (microwave) and non-thermal processes (surfactant solution) are studied to recover cyclohexane from the extraction gangue so that it can be reused in the NAE process.  To this end, the adsorption/absorption behaviour of cyclohexane on the gangue materials are studied and microwave interactions with the water and solid phases in the extraction gangue are studied. Another focus is to identify the microorganisms that are able to remove cyclohexane from the gangue materials and the conditions such microorganisms work most effectively.