The Vapor Saturation Method for Preparing Aqueous Solutions of Solid Aromatic Hydrocarbons

A new method to prepare aqueous solutions saturated with solid aromatic hydrocarbons by making use of solute vapor is presented. Air is bubbled through an organic solvent in which an excess quantity of a solid hydrocarbon to be studied has been added, and the resulting vapor is introduced into water and circulated in a closed system. An aqueous solution saturated with a solid solute can thus be prepared in a short time without any need to remove solute microcrystals. Of benzene, cyclohexane, and 1-octanol used as organic solvents, 1-octanol is most promising for this purpose. Solubilities in water at 25.0 °C of nine aromatic hydrocarbons have been measured: Naphthalene, biphenyl, anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, (o-, m-, p-)terphenyl, and triphenylene. This method can be used for these solutes except phenanthrene.