Solvent Extraction of Biologically Derived 1,3-Propanediol with Ethyl Acetate and Ethanol Cosolvent

This study examined the use of ethyl acetate and its mixture with ethanol as cosolvent for the extraction of biologically derived 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) from a fermentional process. Experimental results on extraction of the fermentation model mixture revealed that ethyl acetate was a suitable solvent, having the distribution coefficient of 1,3-PDO of 0.22 at 303.15 K. The temperature (303.15 to 323.15 K) was found not to have a significant effect on the distribution coefficient. On the other hand, the addition of glycerol into the feed aqueous stream (at the concentrations of 4, 8, 12 g/L) was found to increase the distribution coefficient of 1,3-PDOs, however, the compound selectivity decreased. When ethanol was used as a cosolvent at the volume ratio of ethyl acetate to ethanol of 90:10, the distribution coefficient increased from 0.22 to 0.31 at 303.15 K. This decreased the number of theoretical stages (NTS) required to achieve 90% recovery of 1,3-PDO from the aqueous phase from 3 to 2 stages at the solvent to feed (S/F) ratio of 9. In addition, the extraction results with actual fermentation broth at 303.15 K indicated that the use of ethanol cosolvent could improve the distribution coefficient of 1,3 PDO from 0.14 to 0.20.