Electrodialytic recovery of light carboxylic acids from industrial aqueous wastes

A study has been carried out on the possibility of recovery light carboxylic acids (C1–C6) from an acidic waste stream by means of electrodialysis (ED) technique. The starting solution has very low concentration in organic acids and low specific conductivity. The main object of the study is the identification of the critical aspects for a complete electrodeionization of the water in a scheme of water reuse as process water or boiler feed-water. Concentration and recovery of carboxylic acids from wastewater streams can be a sustainable “green” alternative to biological degradation and turn into a valuable alternative, the more the higher the possibility of reusing the concentrated organic acid stream. In this work an ED cell was assembled and experiments were performed with acetic acid solution as model trace chemical in water. A real wastewater stream was also treated and results are discussed in term of current efficiency and energy consumption.