The partitioning behaviour of two commercial dyes, Cibacron Scarlet LS 2G and Astacryl Red 3B in polyethylene glycol(PEG)- salt and tetrabutlyammonium bromide(TBAB)-salt systems were studied.The factors affecting dye removal namely : concentration and type of dye, type and amount of salts, molecular weights of PEG were investigated.Optimum conditions were established for particular systems.The dye partitioned into the TBAB rich or PEG rich upper phase while the bottom phase was rich in salt.It was observed that increasing the concentration of TBAB/PEG increased the amount of dye partitoned.While NaCl did not cause partitioning in PEG system,the partitioning of dye in other systems generally increased in the order sodium chloride<sodium sulphate<sodium carbonate
Studies were extended to actual dye bath effluent and scale up studies were also carried out. Efficiencies of removal obtained in all cases were extremely good with maximum efficiencies consistenty above 98%