A method for the solvent extraction recovery of an aromatic wherein an
aromatic extract is formed that contains the aromatic and non-aromatics
that are both lighter than and heavier than the aromatic, analyzing at
least two separate groups of lighter and heavier non-aromatics in the
extract, determining from the analyses the distribution of lighter and
heavier non-aromatics present and whether the aromatic product that will
be recovered from the process will be too far from its predetermined
maximum non-aromatic content specification, and making process changes
that will cause the process to produce the aromatic product with a
non-aromatic content that is closer to its predetermined maximum
non-aromatic content specification.