Filtration kinetics of chitosan separation by electrofiltration

Abstract

Downstream processing of chitosan requires several technological steps that contribute to the total production costs. Precipitation and especially evaporation are energy-consuming processes, resulting in higher costs and limiting industrial scale production. This study investigated the filtration kinetics of chitosan derived from cell walls of fungi and from exoskeletons of arthropods by electrofiltration, an alternative method, thus reducing the downstream processing steps and costs. Experiments with different voltages and pressures were conducted in order to demonstrate the effect of both parameters on filtration kinetics. The concentration of the biopolymer was obtained by the average factor of 40 by applying an electric field of 4 V/mm and pressure of 4 bars. A series of analytical experiments demonstrated the lack of structural and functional changes in chitosan molecules after electrofiltration. These results, combined with the reduction of energy and processing time, define the investigated method as a promising downstream step in the chitosan production technology.

Electroassisted Filtration of Microfibrillated Cellulose: Insights Gained from Experimental and Simulation Studies

“…L , M , and H in Figure ). The figure also displays the effect of increasing the strength of the electric field: an increase in the applied voltage generates an increase in the dewatering rate, as reported previously, e.g., by Olivier et al and Gözke et al The dewatering rate is proportional to the strength of the electric field, which can be expected from Helmholtz–Smoluchowski’s equation (eq ).…”

Chitosan Production by Fungi: Current State of Knowledge, Future Opportunities and Constraints

“…Another species belonging to the genus Absidia that proved to be a suitable producer of chitosan was A. repens CBS 102.32; this strain, grown in a 10 L STR on a medium consisting of glucose and YE and added with (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , provided CVP and r P values equal to 2.8 g L −1 and 58.3 mg L −1 h −1 , respectively [115]. Although the CVP value was moderate (0.3 g L −1 ), the study by Gözke et al [116], conducted in a 30 L STR reactor with M. rouxii DSM 1191 cultures on GYP medium, is noteworthy due to the scale of the reactor and the short process duration reaching maximum productivity after 14-16 h from the inoculation. The use of inorganic supplements, such as manganese and ferrous ions able to affect the chitin synthase and chitin deacetylase activities was tested by Jaworska and Konieczna [31].…”

Cost-Effective Face Mask Filter Based on Hybrid Composite Nanofibrous Layers with High Filtration Efficiency

“…It is worth mentioning that our proposed filter demonstrated higher QF values under both tested air velocities. The higher filtration level may originate from the ability of silk and chitosan biomaterials to block charged particulates via electrostatic repulsion, which is independent of the flow rate. , Moreover, hybrid materials can enhance filtration through multiple harmonious blocking actions. , When the pressure drop increases, the breathability decreases . Our three-layered face mask filter showed a higher pressure drop (127.5 Pa) than the commercial one (78 Pa), which is likely due to the smaller pore sizes of the nanofibers compared to those of the microsized fibers of the commercial surgical face mask.…”

“…The higher filtration level may originate from the ability of silk and chitosan biomaterials to block charged particulates via electrostatic repulsion, which is independent of the flow rate. 64,65 Moreover, hybrid materials can enhance filtration through multiple harmonious blocking actions. 63,66 When the pressure drop increases, the breathability decreases.…”