Amino acid extraction and mass transfer rate in the reverse micelle system

The mass transfer of l-isoleucine from NaOH solution of pH 12.0 to a reverse micelle phase includes Aliquat-336 as a cationic surfactant, 1-decanol as a co-surfactant and isooctane as an apolar solvent has been investigated in a stirred cell. Interfacial mass transfer coefficients were determined using two film models. The extraction in this system was found to be controlled by interface solubilization and the diffusion of the amino acid in the aqueous phase boundary layer. The total mass transfer coefficient, K0, increased from 1.77 × 10−5 to 6.02 × 10−5 m s−1 with the increase of Aliquat-336 concentration from 50 to 200 mM for 100 rpm stirring rate. The organic phase coefficient, korg was evaluated using the data of transport of water to the reversed micelle phase. korg increased from 1.50 × 10−5 to 2.00 × 10−5 m s−1 with the increase of stirring rate from 50 to 100 rpm for 50 mM Aliquat-336 concentration.