Extraction of amino acid (L-aspartic acid) from aqueous stream using trioctylamine

L-aspartic acid is an alpha-amino acid that is primarily used in protein biosynthesis. It can be manufactured via protein extraction, chemical synthesis, fermentation, and enzymatic processes. L-aspartic acid separation from protein hydrolysates, fermentation broths, and aqueous streams are rather difficult. In the current study, trioctylamine (TOA) is used as an extractant in a variety of solvents, including 1-octanol, 1-decanol, and cyclohexane, to extract aspartic acid from aqueous solutions. Different parameters, including the distribution coefficient, loading ratio, extraction efficiency, and number of stages, were used to explain the results. The maximum extraction efficiencies were found to be 86.25%, 67.25%, and 58.50% with 1-octanol, 1-decanol, and cyclohexane by trioctylamine, respectively.