This paper presents the Component Binding by Saturation Model (CBSM) method for correlation of LLE phase composition data for 23 ternary systems and 1 pseudo-ternary system, including both polar and non-polar solutes. In focus on extraction water systems, partition and binding isotherms are proposed, and their parameters are found. Tie-line data are correlated, and critical point data for the example LLE are estimated. To select suitable extractants for the example extraction systems, particularly for the group of water + ethanol + extractant systems, the integral and relative integral capacity criterion is introduced and applied. To assess and/or predict the concentration extent of extractants using, the integral capacity is defined. To predict the capability of the extractants to bind the partitioning component, the relative integral capacity is defined. For the systems with a basic partition mechanism, the general relationship between relative integral capacity and partition constant is expressed and verified. For the extraction systems with associative partition mechanism from the ethanol group ternaries, the empirical relation between the multiparametric variable formed from the partition isotherm parameters and the relative integral capacity is found. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.