Membrane Aromatic Recovery System (MARS)
The benefits of removing valuable but toxic organic chemicals from wastewater streams in a form in
which they can be re-used are clear – it avoids discharging the chemicals into the environment, and,
since the chemicals can be re-used, may even pay for itself - a win-win technology! Patented by MET,
MARS can be applied to any organic molecule that exhibits an acidic or basic functionality.
Schematic of phenol recovery using MARS
MARS is based on membrane extraction of the aromatic molecules into a stripping
solution where they are converted into an ionised form and concentrated. They may
then be recovered by a simple pH adjustment process. The membrane separating
layer allows permeation of the organic species but is impermeable to ionised
species. Therefore, once the organic molecule diffuses across the membrane into
the stripping solution and is ionised in the stripping solution, it cannot diffuse back
into the wastewater. The membrane serves to avoid mixing of the wastewater and
the stripping solution.
The concept is shown above for phenol, but may be applied equally to bases such
as aniline and pyridine derivatives by simply reversing the roles of acid and base.
MET has developed process scale systems for application to flowrates up to 50 m3
d-1, at organic compound removals of up to 99%.
Benefits

Recovers valuable organic compounds in pure form for re-use;

Recovers non-volatile as well as volatile species;

No vacuum or high pressure equipment required;

Modular, skid mounted units;

Cost effective;

Robust, fully automated operation;

Process supplied with process guarantee and membrane service contract.
MARS Process – has been used for recovery of a wide range of organic compounds from aqueous
streams, including:
Phenols
Phenol
Chlorophenols
Dichlorophenol
Cresols
Chlorocresols
Fluorocresols
Aromatic amines
Aniline
Chloroaniline
Dichloroaniline
Benzylamines
Fluoroaniline
Difluoroaniline
Toluidines
Chlorotoluidines
Pyridines
Picolines
Dimethylaminopyridine