Controlling Hydrothermal Reaction Pathways To Improve Acetic Acid Production from Carbohydrate Biomass

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 1893 - 1902
• Main Authors: Jin, Fangming, Zhou, Zhouyu, Moriya, Takehiko, Kishida, Hisanori, Higashijima, Hisao, Enomoto, Heiji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.03.2005
• Subjects: Acetic Acid - analysis; Acids; Agriculture, rearing and food industries wastes; Applied sciences; Biomass; Bioreactors; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Carbohydrates; Chemical reactions; Exact sciences and technology; Furans - metabolism; Indicators and Reagents - analysis; Lactic Acid - metabolism; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Pollution; Wastes; Organic waste; Industrial production; Material recovery; Waste treatment; Process control; Deicing product; Acetogenesis; Food waste; Wet process; Chemical treatment; Reaction mechanism; Carbohydrate; Oxidation; Acetic acid; Domestic refuse; Hydrothermal condition
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es048867a

A two-step hydrothermal process to improve the production of acetic acid was discussed. The first step was to accelerate the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), 2-furaldehyde (2-FA), and lactic acid (LA), and the second step was to further convert the furans (HMF, 2-FA) and LA produced in the first step to acetic acid by oxidation with newly supplied oxygen. The acetic acid obtained by the two-step process had not only a high yield but also better purity. The contribution of two pathways via furans and LA in the two-step process to convert carbohydrates into acetic acid was roughly estimated as 85−90%, and the ratio of the contributions of furans and LA to yield acetic acid was estimated as 2:1. The fact that WO of carbohydrates is not capable of producing a large amount of acetic acid, while the two-step process can enhance the acetic acid yield, can be explained because formic acid is a basic product of direct oxidation of carbohydrate, and acetic acid in WO of carbohydrates may come from the oxidation of dehydration products of aldose.