6.0) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Experiment A 1) 50ml of organic solvent is being mixed with 50ml of de-mineralised water in conical flask.

Then 2ml of propionic acid is added to the mixture. 2) A stopper is placed into the flask and the mixture is shaken for 5 minutes. 3) The mixture is then poured into the separating funnel for 5 minutes and removed the lower aqueous layer. 4) 10ml of the sample is titrated against 0.1M NaOH using phenolphthalein as the indicator. 5) The experiment was repeated using the different concentration of the propionic acid.

Experiment B 1) 100ml of propionic acid are added to 10 litres of organic phase. The mixture is then filled into the organic phase tank (bottom tank). 2) The level control is switched to the bottom of the column by keeping the bottom electrodes on (the S2 valve is switched on). 3) The water feed tank is filled with 15 litres of clean de-mineralised water (the V13 valve was open). The water feed pump is started (valve S3) and the flow rate of water is regulated to the maximum by opening valve C1. 4) The flow rate is reduced to 0.21 litre/min as soon as the water reaches the top packing. 5) The metering pump (S4) is started. 6) Steady conditions must be achieved by running the set up for 15-20 minute. The flow rate is monitored during the period to ensure that they remain constant. 7) Two or three batches of 30ml sample are taken from the feed, raffinate and extract streams (valve V1). 8) 10ml of each sample is titrated against 0.025M NaOH using phenolphthalein as the indicator (to titrate the feed and raffinate continuous using magnetic stirrer may be needed.