Preliminary work on the pervaporation separation of water from organic mixtures using a simple technique is discussed. The experiments were conducted at 75 degrees C. The separation of water from aqueous organic mixtures was carried out using a standard poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membrane. The initial feed composition was 10 wt.% water (A), 25 wt.% ethanol (B), 20 wt.% n-propanol (C), 10 wt.% acetic acid (D), 15 wt.% ethyl acetate (E) and 20 wt.% n-butanol (F). The composition of all the constituents in the feed reservoir decreased with time. Separation factors ranging between 15 and 215 were obtained for acetic acid, propanol and butanol. The permeation rates of individual components followed the order alpha(A/C)>alpha(A/B)>alpha(A/D)>alpha(A/E)>alpha(A/F) at 75 degrees C. The influence of reaction temperature and molecular size on the permeation rate and separation factor is discussed. The role of water as a plasticizing agent and the effect of the interaction between different permeates on the rate of permeation of the individual components is also discussed. Diffusion coefficients for water, ethanol, propanol, ethyl acetate, acetic acid and butanol have been evaluated. The values range between 1 and 7 m(2) h(-1). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.