Multiple-Acid Equilibria in Adsorption of Carboxylic Acids from Dilute Aqueous Solution

Equilibria were measured for adsorption of carboxylic acids from aqueous, binary-acid mixtures of lactic and succinic acids and acetic and formic acids onto basic polymeric sorbents. The experimentally determined adsorption isotherms compared well with model predictions, confirming that simple extensions from adsorption of individual acids apply. Fixed-bed studies were carried out that establish the efficacy of chromatographic fractionation of lactic and succinic acids using basic polymeric sorbents. Finally, sequential thermal and solvent regeneration of lactic and acetic acid-laden sorbents was investigated as a method to fractionate among coadsorbed volatile and nonvolatile acids. Essentially complete removal of the acetic acid from the acid-laden sorbent was achieved by vaporization under the conditions used; a small amount of loss of lactic acid (about 11%) was observed.