Recovery of valeric acid using green solvents

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, extraction of valeric acid (VA) using tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP) as a reactive extractant was carried out. To reduce the toxic effects of the conventional diluents on microorganisms, non‐toxic and green edible sunflower and soybean oils were tried as the diluents. The high values of the distribution coefficient and extraction efficiency advocated to use them in the bio‐refinery industries. Moreover, it shows intensification of the recovery of VA using reactive extraction process. Sunflower oil appeared to be a better diluent than soybean oil. The complexation reaction stoichiometry (m and n) and equilibrium complexation reaction constant were estimated by using the differential evolution technique. In spite of the loading ratio being less than 0.5, the estimated m/n was found to be more than 1.0. The higher values of occurred due to the 9higher stability of the VA‐TBP complex in sunflower oil than in soybean oil. The stoichiometry of VA decreased with increasing TBP concentration. The complex concentration, , was found to be higher for soybean oil. It increased with temperature and initial VA concentration but remained invariant with TBP concentration. Due to the decreasing trend of with temperature, the complexation reaction became exothermic. The enthalpy changes due to mass transfer stipulated easier mixing of the phases in sunflower oil than in soybean oil.