Purification of Raw Cane Sugar by Micellar-Enhanced Ultrafiltration Process Using Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate

Abstract

Raw sugars need to be refined again for attainment of superior quality. In recent years, membrane technology has been widely used in food industry, including sugar refining. One way for improving the separation power of membrane processes like ultrafiltration is the use of surfactant as complexing agent that is known as micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) process. In this study, linear alkylbenzene sulphonate was used as an anionic surfactant in MEUF process. In order to study the refining potential of this method, the effect of temperature at three levels (30C, 40C and 50C), transmembrane pressure at levels 2, 3.5 and 5 bar and the surfactant concentration at three levels (0, 1 and 2 CMC) on flux, turbidity, color and ash content of refined juice was investigated by response surface methodology. The results showed that turbidity, color and ash content of permeate decreased about 5.915 NTU, 407 ICUMSA and 0.059%, respectively. The permeate flux decreased with increasing the surfactant concentration, too. Practical Applications One way to improve the ultrafiltration process is using of the surfactant. Effects of temperature, pressure and concentration of surfactant were investigated. High concentrations of surfactant were effective on removal of the impurities. High pressures and temperatures did not succeed in removing of impurities. MEUF process with anionic surfactant was successful in refining raw sugar.