1. Recovery and esterification of aqueous carboxylates by using CO2-expanded alcohols with anion exchange.
- Author
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Cabrera-Rodríguez, Carlos I., van der Wielen, Luuk A. M., Straathof, Adrie J. J., Paltrinieri, Laura, and de Smet, Louis C. P. M.
- Subjects
ESTERIFICATION ,AQUEOUS electrolytes ,ION exchange resins - Abstract
The recovery of carboxylic acids from fermentation broth is one of the main bottlenecks for the industrial production of bio-based esters. This paper proposes an alternative for the recovery of carboxylates produced by fermentations at pH values above the pK
a of the carboxylic acid. In this approach, the aqueous carboxylate anion is recovered using anion exchange, followed by desorption and esterification with CO2 -expanded alcohols. Using CO2 -expanded methanol, we achieved a high desorption yield at 10 bar of CO2 and 20 °C. An ester yield of 1.03 ± 0.07 mol methyl acetate/acetatein was obtained for the combined desorption–esterification at 5 bar of CO2 and 60 °C. The proposed process has low chemical consumption and low waste production. The proposed process works, with a lower yield, for other carboxylates (e.g. lactate and succinate) and alcohols (e.g. ethanol). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2017
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