The countercurrent extraction of nicotine from aqueous solution and tobacco juice, using kerosene and hexane as solvents, was investigated. A 57-mm-diameter column was operated in three modes: as a spray tower, packed with Raschig rings, and packed with Multifil high-efficiency packing.Volume-based mass-transfer coefficients and HTU (height of a transfer unit) values were evaluated for various solvent/liquid ratios and various pH values. The HTU values were found to vary between 10.1 and 0.7 m depending on the operating parameters selected.

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