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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: takeABow on January 03, 2011, 10:35:29 AM

Title: Substance for Extraction
Post by: takeABow on January 03, 2011, 10:35:29 AM

I am looking for a SAFE substance that is either:

Soluble in mineral oil but will extract into water.
-or-
Soluble in water but will extract into mineral oil.

Safe = Non-toxic, Non-Carcinogenic, Low Reactivity.
Ideally this substance should exhibit a color in one phase or the other.
This would be used as a student experiment for a Unit Operations Lab.  The old extraction experiment used a known carcinogen and was discontinued. 

Thanks in advance. 

Title: Re: Substance for Extraction
Post by: Grundalizer on January 07, 2011, 09:49:34 PM

You're basically asking for something that is soluble in water and mineral oil, which is a fail.

Do the liquid CO2 extraction of d-limonene from orange peels.  Google it.

Title: Re: Substance for Extraction
Post by: nox on January 08, 2011, 06:55:40 PM

http://edisk.fandm.edu/chm/VanArmanLab/Extraction/Extraction.html

Not exactly what you were asking for, but I think this would be perfect for what you want to demonstrate.

The chemical, N,N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline can be bought cheaply from Sigma ($43.40 for 25g)