Effective systems based on hydrophilic polymers for extraction of phenols from aqueous solutions

Water-soluble polymers (poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, poly-N-vinylcaprolactam, polyethylene glycol) were used for the first time for extraction of phenols from aqueous solutions. The influence exerted by pH of the aqueous solution and kind of the polymer on the degree of recovery of phenol and some of its methyl and nitro derivatives was elucidated. The correlation between the structure and extraction characteristics of phenols was interpreted.