Aconitic acid recovery from sugar-cane stillage: From the modeling of the anion-exchange step to the conception of a novel combined process

• Published in: Separation science and technology Vol. 56; no. 10; pp. 1752 - 1768
• Main Authors: Wu-Tiu-Yen, Jenny, Lameloise, Marie-Laure, Petit, Arnaud, Lewandowski, Richard, Broyart, Bertrand, Fargues, Claire
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 03.07.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acids; Aconitic acid; Anion exchanging; Anions; Chemical engineering; Chemical Sciences; Coefficients; Conservation equations; Demineralization; Demineralizing; Electrodialysis; Exchange capacity; Ion exchange; low-pressure chromatography; Minerals; pH effects; Resins; Saccharides; Selectivity; Separation; Solutes; Stillage; Sugarcane; Sugarcane stillage; Water purification; sugarcane stillage; low-pressure chromatography; electrodialysis; ion-exchange; aconitic acid
• ISSN: 0149-6395; 1520-5754
• DOI: 10.1080/01496395.2020.1795677

Sugarcane stillage is rich in tri-carboxylic aconitic acid. To study its purification through anion-exchange, selectivity coefficients between aconitate and the major competing minerals were determined on a weak-base resin for different pH. Simulation of solutes separation in the column, using mass conservation equations and equilibrium theory, confirmed that resin in sulfate form and pH = 4.5 led to the best separation performances, and showed that a preliminary chloride removal up to 0.5 g L −1 was the most profitable to increase the ionic exchange capacity for aconitic acid. Demineralization of a real stillage by conventional electrodialysis followed by the optimized ion-exchange step led to an aconitic acid-rich extract.