Recuperação de ácido succínico através de extração líquido-líquido usando contactor de membrana

Abstract

Liquid-liquid extraction (ELL) represents a promising separation method for primary recovery of carboxylic acids that are obtained by fermentation. This work aims at investigating the recovery of succinic acid by liquid-liquid extraction assisted by porous membrane contactor (ECM). Conventional extraction tests were carried to evaluate the effect of operational variables (pH and temperature) on extraction efficiency. Two configurations for the ECM system were studied: uncoupled extraction and re-extraction processes (u-ECM) and simultaneous extraction and re-extraction (sECM). The distribution coefficient was not significantly affected by temperature and it increased as pH decreased. A mathematical model for the ECM process was proposed and it indicated that the lower the distribution coefficient, the higher the process efficiency, considering the same exact conditions for extraction and re-extraction. This trend was also experimentally verified. It was found that the s-ECM process increased the extraction efficiency from 2.54% (conventional extraction) to 50.78% using oleic acid as solvent. This demonstrates that liquid-liquid extraction assisted by membrane contactor is a technically feasible separation method for recovery of succinic acid