RECOVERY OF ITACONIC ACID AND NICOTINIC ACID BY REACTIVE EXTRACTION

Abstract

Carboxylic acids recovery from dilute aqueous solutions is a growing requirement due to the increasing demand for use of pure acids. Reactive extraction is proposed as an alternative to conventional methods of recovery, since the selectivity of separation is remarkably enhanced in reactive extraction. The aim of this study is to perform the equilibrium studies for the recovery of itaconic acid and nicotinic acid from their synthetic aqueous solutions by reactive extraction and investigate the effects of various parameters such as initial acid concentration in the aqueous phase (0.05 — 0.4 M for itaconic acid and 0.05 — 0.14 M for nicotinic acid), temperature (20°C — 60°C), organic phase extractant concentration (10% - 30%), type of the extractant (Methyl tri-Capryl Ammonium Chloride, tri-Butyl Phosphate) and types of diluent. The results of the experiments showed that the degrees of extraction increased with decreasing use of diluent with the extractant. The degree of extraction decreased with increasing initial acid concentration of the aqueous phase. the performance of the diluents were investigated by performing reactive extraction with pure diluents and solution of Aliquat 336 (Methyl tri-Capryl Ammonium Chloride) and tri-Butyl Phosphate in aromatics, esters and inerts at different concentrations of extractant. It was observed that esters had higher salvation power and resulted