Considering existing problems concerning purification and disposal of toxic and in large quantities occurring waste waters and waste oils from used emulsions, the need for an energy and resource efficient separation process is obvious. Treatment of industrial waste emulsions with compressed gases leads to an accelerated splitting. Based on this observation a novel accelerated, effective and environmentally friendly process for separation of emulsions was developed. Industrial emulsions are complex mixtures where mostly no information on the real composition is available from the manufacturer. Therefore investigations based on model emulsions with known composition were carried out. The model systems used were stabilized by different surfactants, non-ionic (FAEO, APG) as well as anionic (SLES). The separation of a pseudo quaternary model system consisting of oil, water, emulsifier and gas as well as the separation of real technical emulsions by applicable process parameters (p,T) into a recyclable water-free oil-phase and an oil-free water-phase was investigated. Evaluation of the process was done by monitoring the quality of the separated phases. Aim of the investigation was to achieve a water-phase fulfilling the prescriptive limits of water quality discharge consents. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.