Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Itaconic Acid from the Aqueous Phase Using Natural and Chemical Solvents

Abstract

Itaconic acid, also known as methylene succinic acid, is a colorless, crystalline substance that is found in nature. Due to its two functional carboxylic acid forms and - unsaturated bond, it can be used in a variety of sectors (plastics, super-absorbents, biopolymers, anti-scaling agents, etc.). Itaconic acid can be produced via thermally decarboxylating citric acid, catalysing the condensation of succinic acid derivatives with formaldehyde, decarboxylating aconitic acid, and fermentation utilizing Aspergillus terreus and other microbes. It is quite expensive and harmful to extract itaconic acid from the fermentation broth. In the present study, Iso-butanol, iso-octanol, groundnut, soybean, mustard, and rice bran oil were incorporated as solvents for separating itaconic acid from their solutions in distilled water. Liquid-liquid extraction experiments were conducted over the range of 0.08-0.533 mol.L-1 of itaconic acid. The results thus obtained were defined as the separation efficiency (E) and distribution coefficient (KD). Separation was observed at maximum efficiencies of 69.33%, 47.8%, 12.93%, 17.9%, 15.625% & 14.18% with iso-butanol, iso-octanol groundnut, soybean, mustard, and rice bran oil respectively. Since the solvents used in this study were natural and chemical, it can be helpful to make the process more eco-friendly and the efficiency of the process can be further increased with the help of reactive extractants.