Itaconic acid (IA) is a di-carboxylic acid which is a promising bio based platform chemical which can be produced from sustainable feedstocks. Fungal fermentation gives final product concentrations up to 100 g/L at low pH. Currently, IA is recovered from fermentation broth by evaporative crystallization [1], but yields are low because of impurities in the aqueous phase [2] such as residual glucose, other carboxylic acids, and salts. Alternatively, IA can be separated from water and impurities by extraction and subsequent evaporative crystallization (extractive crystallization). The overall aim of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of extractive crystallization for the recovery of IA. In particular, this part focusses on screening of potential extractants to selectively capture IA from the aqueous phase and the energy demand to evaporate the solvent. Preferably, the solvent should have a high partition coefficient for IA, a low solubility in water, and a low enthalpy of vaporization. Short cut calculations were employed for preliminary design of the alternative downstream process. Literature screening and experiments with selected solvents showed that volumetric partition coefficients are generally low (D < 2), and that solvents with higher affinity for IA also are more soluble in water. To reduce losses of solvent in the aqueous phase, a solvent recovery system has to be included in the process. Nonetheless, preliminary design indicates three advantages over the current process: 1) higher recovery yield, 2) lower energy demand, 3) and less mass use. These results indicate that extractive crystallization is a promising alternative DSP. Current research focusses on IA extraction in the presence of impurities and crystallization in an organic solvent.

[1] Okabe et al., Biotechnological production of itaconic acid and its biosynthesis in Aspergillus terreus. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 84 (2009) 597–606

[2] Zhang, Recovery of itaconic acid from supersaturated waste fermentation liquor. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 40 (2009) 583–585

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