Effect of Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids on Extraction Characteristics for 1,3-Propanediol by Aqueous Two Phases Systems

Abstract − 1,3-Propandiol is a promising chemical which can be produced from fermentation of glycerol because the application of 1,3-propanediol is mainly in the production of bio-polytrimethylene terephthalate (bio-PTT). How-ever, the cost of downstream processes in the biological production of 1,3-propanediol can make a high portion in the total production cost due to the large amount of water and the by-produced carboxylic acids such as succinic, lactic and acetic acids in 1,3-propanediol fermentation broth. In this study, aqueous two-phases systems composed of hydrophilic alcohols and phosphate salts were applied to the recovery of 1,3-propanediol from its artificial aqueous solution. Formation of aqueous biphases in hydrophilic alcohols and phosphate salts was due to the salting-out effect of salts in bottom phase, thereby 1,3-propanediol in bottom phase was moved into top phase. Extraction efficiency for 1,3-propanediol was proportional to the polarity of hydrophilic alcohols and the basicity of salts and the maximum value of extraction efficiency was more than 98%. In the aqueous two-phases systems after extraction, there was no carboxylic acid in top phase. Therefore, it was concluded that the aqueous two-phases systems composed of hydrophili