Aqueous two-phase extraction of 2,3-butanediol from fermentation broths using an ethanol/ammonium sulfate system

Separation of 2,3-butanediol from the fermentation broth is a difficult task that has become a bottleneck in industrial production. Aqueous two-phase systems composed of hydrophilic solvents and inorganic salts could be used to extract 2,3-butanediol from fermentation broth. The ethanol/ammonium sulfate system was investigated in detail, including phase diagram, effect of phase composition on partition, removal of cells and biomacromolecules from the broths and recycling of ammonium sulfate. The highest partition coefficient (7.10) and recovery of 2,3-butanediol (91.7%) were obtained by a system composed of 32% (w/w) ethanol and 16% (w/w) ammonium sulfate. The maximum selective coefficient of 2,3-butanediol to glucose was 30.74 in the experimental range. In addition, cells and proteins could be simultaneously removed from the fermentation broth. The removal ratio of cells and proteins reached 99.7% and 91.2%, respectively. The recovery of ammonium sulfate in the bottom phase reached 97.14% when two volumes of methanol were added to the salt-rich phase.