Method for separating materials

A process for the separation of naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensates from water, said process comprising:

• contacting a mixture comprised of water and a naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde condensates of naphthalenesulfonic acids, formaldehyde condensates of lower-alkyl substituted naphthalenesulfonic acids, and mixtures of two or more of such members, said condensate having a number average molecular weight of from about 2,000 to about 4,000 and a weight average molecular weight of from about 7,000 to about 13,000, wherein said naphthalene-based condensate comprises 10 parts per million to about 5% by weight of said mixture thereof with water, wherein said mixture has a pH below about 3, with a liquid organic phase comprised of a cationic lipophilic amine selected from the group of tri-alkyl tertiary amines wherein the total number of carbon atoms in the alkyl groups is at least 22 and each of the alkyl groups has at least four carbon atoms, wherein the ratio of cationic amine equivalents of said cationic lipophilic amine to sulfonate equivalents of said naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate is from about 0.3:1 to about 30:1, to form an aqueous phase depleted with respect to said mixture of naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate and a liquid organic phase enriched in naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate, and
• separating said aqueous phase depleted with respect to said mixture of naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate and said liquid organic phase enriched with respect to naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate, wherein said contacting and separating are effective in reducing the concentration of said naphthalenesulfonate-based carbonyl condensate in said mixture to less than about 0.01% by weight.