Study on green crystallization process for L-glutamic acid production

Abstract

To investigate the production of L-glutamic acid with high yield as well as improved purity, the optimization of crystallization process was conducted. During this study, various physicochemical parameters (e.g., initial temperature, cooling rate, acid adding rate, ultrasonic time, and stirring speed) of concentrated isoelectric crystallization method were evaluated to optimize the yield and purity of L-glutamic acid. The optimum crystallization parameters are as follows: acid adding rate 0.5 mL/min, ultrasonic time 10 min, and stirring speed 200 rpm. The yield of L-glutamic acid at optimal condition was 95.4%, attaining a 6.5% growth. The purity of crystallized product exceeded 99%, giving a rise of 4%. The optimal crystallization process with higher yield and improved purity reduces the energy consumption and thus promotes sustainable development.