Reactive Extraction of Protocatechuic Acid by Tributyl Phosphate and Examining the Effect of Different Parameters

In this study, the reactive extraction of protocatechuic acid (PCA) was investigated with different solvents using tributyl phosphate (TBP). At the end of the studies, the best result was obtained in diisobutyl ketone (DIBK)-TBP combination with 98.70% yield. In the continuation of the study, the effect of different parameters for the reactive extraction of protocatechuic acid from aqueous solutions in the presence of tributyl phosphate using DIBK was investigated. It aimed to find the optimum values by performing experiments that changed the initial acid concentration, water phase: organic phase ratio, and temperature values. As a result of temperature studies, the enthalpy (ΔH) value was calculated as negative, which indicates that the reaction is exothermic. Also, Gibbs free energy (ΔG) gave negative values at the studied temperatures, indicating that the reaction occurs spontaneously. The best extraction yield was obtained with 99.01% at 0.01 mol/L initial acid concentration and a 3:5 water phase to organic phase ratio. In the studies in which the effect of temperature was examined, the highest yield (E%) was obtained with a value of 95.59%. The study was conducted at 293.15 K temperature with 0.01 mol/L initial acid concentration.