Described is an osmotic distillation process for concentrating a liquid containing sodium chloride, and in particular a treatment process for used reaction water containing sodium chloride from the production of polymers.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.

A method for purifying of waste water includes: supplying a mixed stream, in which wastewater including water, a nitrile-based monomer, and ammonia and an acid component are mixed, to a first column; condensing an upper discharge stream of the first column, supplying the condensed stream to a decanter to separate the stream into a water layer and an organic layer, and supplying components of the organic layer to a second column; and separating a by-product from a lower discharge stream of the second column, and recovering the nitrile-based monomer from an upper discharge stream of the second column.

A method for removing the fluorine component from waste water which is produced during the manufacturing process of highly reactive polybutene and contains high concentration of fluorine component, is disclosed. The method comprises a step of adding to the waste water a treating agent selected from a group of Al compound, Ca compound and mixture thereof at temperature of 50 to 300 C. for reaction, whereby boron trifluoride neutralized salt is decomposed to form Al salt or Ca salt of fluorine component so that the fluorine component is removed in the form of the Al salt or the Ca salt of fluorine component.

A process for removing water from an oxidative esterification reactor includes (a) conducting an oxidative esterification reaction in a reactor; (b) removing a crude product stream from the reactor; (c) passing a first portion of the crude product stream directly to a product recovery zone; (d) introducing a second portion of the crude product stream to a distillation column to generate a column overheads stream and a column bottoms stream; (e) passing at least a portion of the columns bottoms stream to the product recovery zone; and (f) recycling a recycle stream comprising at least a portion of the overheads stream to the reactor; wherein the recycle stream contains less than 1 weight percent (wt %) water based on the total weight of the recycle stream, wherein the weight ratio of the first portion to the second portion is at least 1:10, and wherein the amount of the recycle stream recycled to the reactor is such that the reactor contains less than or equal to 2.5 wt % water, based on the weight of the reactor contents.

A dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, and methods of making and using such a dispersion, whereby the dispersion includes an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; wherein the dispersion is generated by combining an amount of gas with the amount of polymer and the aqueous solvent, the amount of gas effective to substantially uniformly disperse the amount of polymer within the aqueous solvent.

A dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, and methods of making and using such a dispersion, whereby the dispersion includes an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; wherein the dispersion is generated by combining an amount of gas with the amount of polymer and the aqueous solvent, the amount of gas effective to substantially uniformly disperse the amount of polymer within the aqueous solvent.

A dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, and methods of making and using such a dispersion, whereby the dispersion includes an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; wherein the dispersion is generated by combining an amount of gas with the amount of polymer and the aqueous solvent, the amount of gas effective to substantially uniformly disperse the amount of polymer within the aqueous solvent.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.