Process for purification of aqueous mixtures

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANIC CHEMICAL-OXYGEN-DEMAND MATERIAL FROM AN AQUEOUS STREAM CONTAINING SAID MATERIAL IN A CONCENTRATION NOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF 5.0%, BY WEIGHT, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, THE STEPS OF: (A) PREPARING A 10% TO 30%, BY WEIGHT, SOLUTION OF BASIC ION-EXCHANGE RESIN IN ORGANIC SOLVENT, SAID ORGANIC SOLVENT BEING MISCIBLE WITH SAID ION-EXCHANGE RESIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY IMMISCIBLE WITH WATER; (B) FLOW-MIXING AT A PRESSURE DROP NOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN ESCESS OF ONE POUND PER SQUARE INCH SAID AQUEOUS STREAM AND SUFFICIENT PREPARED ION-EXCHANGE RESIN SOLUTION TO PROVIDE A RATIO OF EQUIVALENTS OF ION-EXCHANGE RESIN TO EQUIVALENTS OF SAID WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANIC CHEMICAL-OXYGEN-DEMAND MATERIAL OF AT LEAST 0.75; (C) PERMITTING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF STEP (B) TO REMAIN SUBSTANTIALLY QUIESCENT FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES TO FORM A FIRST AQUEOUS PHASE AND A FIRST IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT PHASE; (D) SUBJECTING SAID FIRST AQUEOUS PHASE TO COALESCING MEANS TO COALESCE NON-SEPARATED IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT SOLUTION REMAINING THEREIN; (E) PERMITTING THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID COALESCING MEANS TO SEPARATE INTO A SECOND AQUEOUS PHASE AND A SECOND IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT PHASE; AND (F) DISCHARGING SAID SECOND AQUEOUS PHASE TO WASTE AS SUBSTANTIALLY CHEMICAL-OXYGEN-DEMAND FREE WATER.