Recovery of amino acids from reverse micellar solution by gas hydrate

The back extraction of amino acids from reverse micelle phase was investigated through gas hydrate formation. Three amino acids, namely l-aspartic acid, l-serine and l-phenylalanine having different hydrophobicity were used to model the amino acid solution. Back extraction of these amino acid solutions were studied with the help of CO2 hydrate formation in a high-pressure reactor. The yield of extraction increased from 26% to 99% for l-aspartic acid, from 22% to 82% for l-serin and from 19% to 63% for l-phenylalanine by increasing water to surfactant (Aliquat 336) molar ratio, W0, from 20 to 50. The yield of amino acid obtained from fermentation process (57%) is lower than the synthetically prepared amino acid solution (99%). Kinetics of hydrate formation was determined as a first order kinetic model. It was determined that there exists a direct correlation between hydrophobicity of the amino acid solvent and initial reaction rate constant.