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›› 2013, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (4): 47-52.

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An Approach to Levulinic Acid Production from Cassava Starch and Market Prospect

CHEN Ke-qiang
  

  1. Nanning Chemical Industrial Research & Design Institute, Nanning 530022, China
  • Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2013-07-30 Published:2013-07-30

Abstract: Using starch as material, levulinic acid (LA) is obtained by heating and hydrolysis under H2SO4 condition. In this process, starch splits into hexose monomers and then further degrade to 5-hydroxymethylfural by dehydration, which finally degrade to levulinic acid. The paper summarized the processes of Nebraska Lincolnt University's and Biofine's. Levulinic acid is separated and purified by adsorbent resin. Both processes are suitable for commercial production of levulinic aidc. The process has low cost and is suitable for industrial production. It is possible on technology and feasible on economy to use cassava starch as raw material to produce levulinic acid on a pilot scale of 50-500 t/a.