Co-extraction during reactive extraction of phenylalanine using Aliquat 336: interfacial mass transfer

Reactive liquid-liquid extraction can be used to separate hydrophilic fermentation products that would not otherwise partition into nonpolar solvents. However, during extraction of the target solute other compounds present in the extraction medium will also react with the ion exchange reagent and are thus co-extracted. In this study the effect of co-extraction on the interfacial flux of the target solute phenylalanine has been investigated for reactive extraction using Aliquat 336. The effect of co-extracting compounds has been included in a new interfacial flux balance, and experimental results reveal that the interfacial concentrations are equal to the final equilibrium conditions of the system. Using this information a simple mass transfer model has been developed from which film mass transfer coefficients may be determined. Co-extraction of other compounds present in the feed was found to reduce the interfacial flux of the target solute by reducing the driving force. Co-extraction did not affect the value of the film mass transfer coefficient, and therefore, co-extraction does not effect the transport properties of the solute to the interface. Extraction from a multicomponent fermentation broth resulted in a reduced flux, which arises from a reduction in the driving force caused by high levels of co-extraction. Furthermore, the flux was also reduced as the result of a mass transfer resistance caused by soluble surface-active compounds present in the fermentation broth adsorbing to the interface. The biomass associated with the fermentation broth was also found to reduce the solute flux, and it is believed that this is due to blockage of the interfacial area.