The extraction and transport of organic molecules using polymer inclusion membranes

Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) have the potential of providing an attractive alternative to traditional solvent extraction since they drastically reduce the use of volatile, flammable and often toxic diluents. In addition, they also allow the extraction and back-extraction steps to proceed simultaneously and in a continuous fashion. The great majority of the PIM studies have been directed towards metal separation which may suggest that PIMs are less suitable for the separation of organic compounds. The present review shows how successfully PIMs can be applied to the separation of various organic compounds of industrial and environmental importance.