Analytical Techniques Based on Nonporous Polymeric Membranes

3 ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES BASED ON NONPOROUS POLYMERIC MEMBRANES 

The types of polymeric membranes that have attracted much interest for analytical applications and are nowadays in common use are characterized as nonporous membranes such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), dense PP and PDMS silicone rubbers, and asymmetric composite membranes 

The most important characteristic of nonporous membranes is that they are hydrophobic and contain no pores in the polymeric structure. This means that these membranes not only selectively act as a barrier to particles and polar species, but they also provide unique selectivity and specificity for the permeation and transport of a specific group of compounds that can readily solubilize and diffuse in the membrane material. The analyte extraction rate (permeability) in a nonporous membrane separation process is governed by the solution-diffusion mechanism, as commented on earlier. 

The analytical extraction systems related to points 1 and 2 are pervaporation-based techniques (such as those mentioned in Sections 4.3.1 and 4.3.2). Extraction based on the membrane separation of an aqueous phase and an organic phase (point 3 above) will be dealt with in Section 4.3.3. As the system concerning point 4 is very rarely used, it will not be considered here. 

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