Optimization of Operating Parameters for ​2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid Recovery Using Electrodialysis​ with Bipolar Membrane and Traditional Electrodialysis Systems

Abstract

Electrodialysis (ED) is an eco-friendly and economically feasible method to separate or recover acid, base, and ionic compounds by electric field attraction and configuration of ion exchange membranes. Our previous bacterial isolate, Burkholderia sp. H-2 immobilized by alginate could biotransform 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) into a green platform compound, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), using a bioreactor system. In this study, electrodialysis with the bipolar membrane (EDBM) and traditional ED systems were applied to recover and concentrate FDCA in the bioreactor effluent. Artificial FDCA effluent and real FDCA effluent of the 5-HMF biotransformation bioreactor were used as the EDBM and ED systems feedstock to establish the optimal conditions for FDCA recovery. The optimal condition for FDCA recovery using the EDBM system was to feed the artificial FDCA effluent containing 2100 mg/L FDCA with a pH of 5 and operated at a current density of 8.93 mA/cm2. The FDCA recovery efficiency, current efficiency, and energy consumption were 67.0%, 4.80%, and 23.05 kWh/kg, respectively. The optimal condition for the FDCA recovery and concentration using the ED system was to control the feedstock volume of 1.5 L and the FDCA concentration in the 1000 mg/L concentration chamber. The FDCA recovery efficiency, current efficiency, and energy consumption were 81.5%, 34.19%, and 10.52 kWh/kg, respectively. The parameters established from EDBM and ED experiments were then used for FDCA recovery of the real bioreactor effluent pretreated with simple centrifugation and filtration. The FDCA recovery efficiency, current efficiency, and energy consumption were 55.6%, 26.31%, and 44.16 kWh/kg, respectively. Suppose the pretreatment procedure of the real bioreactor effluent is further optimized. It is believed to benefit the enhancement of FDCA recovery efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

Keywords: 2, 5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), Electrodialysis with bipolar membrane (EDBM), Electrodialysis (ED), recovery