The extraction of 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (a phenolic alcohol, common in olive mill wastewater) from aqueous solution by emulsion liquid membranes was studied. The effect of the presence of additives in the membrane phase on solute permeation was tested. Two systems were selected to examine physical and reactive extraction of 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol. The modelling of solute extraction was done by taking into account the mass transfer in the external phase and globule, and the reaction between the diffusing component and the stripping reagent. The batch extraction with, and without extractant in the membrane phase was carried out under various experimental conditions. The agreement between the calculated results and the experimental data was found satisfactory. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.