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Updated: Apr 16, 2026

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids
Published on: August 9, 2024
In-line and selective phase separation of medium-chain carboxylic acids using membrane electrolysis
Jiajie Xu1, Juan J L Guzman, Stephen J Andersen
1Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 226 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. la249@cornell.edu.
Abstract:
We had extracted n-caproate from bioreactor broth. Here, we introduced in-line membrane electrolysis that utilized a pH gradient between two chambers to transfer the product into undissociated n-caproic acid without chemical addition. Due to the low maximum solubility of this acid, selective phase separation occurred, allowing simple product separation into an oily liquid containing ∼90% n-caproic and n-caprylic acid.
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