A method for removing impurities from a mother liquor comprising a
carboxylic acid, a metal catalyst, impurities by (a) evaporating the
mother liquor comprising a carboxylic acid, the metal catalyst,
impurities, water and a solvent in a first evaporator zone to produce a
vapor stream and a concentrated mother liquor stream; (b) evaporating the
concentrated mother liquor stream in a second evaporator zone to form a
solvent rich stream and a super concentrated mother liquor stream; (c)
separating organic impurities with a water-solvent solution from the
super concentrated mother liquor in a solid-liquid separation zone to
form an aqueous stream and a second aqueous stream; (d) mixing in a
mixing zone water and optionally and extraction solvent with the aqueous
stream and second aqueous stream to form an aqueous mixture; and (e)
adding an extraction solvent to the aqueous mixture in an extraction zone
to form an extract stream and a raffinate stream.