Fractionation of Organic Acids via Electrodialysis: Extraction Processes and Electrochemical Characterization of Ion-Exchange Membranes
A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications for Energy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 158
Special Issue Editors
Interests: wastewater treatment; water treatment; water and wastewater treatment; separation processes; separation technologies; electrodialysis; donnan dialysis; ion-exchange membrane; chronopotentiometry; electrochemical membrane evaluation; concentration polarization; electroconvection; water dissociation; water splitting; overlimiting ion transfer mechanisms; cyclic voltammetry; electrodeposition; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: wastewater treatment; water treatment; water and wastewater treatment; separation processes; separation technologies; electrodialysis; donnan dialysis; ion exchange membrane; chronopotentiometry; electrochemical membrane evaluation; concentration polarization; electroconvection; water dissociation; water splitting; over-limiting ion transfer mechanisms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The production of organic acids has received significant attention in recent years due to their broad applicability and, in particular, their inherent biodegradability. Current research efforts have predominantly focused on their use in the synthesis of bioplastics, biodegradable polyester resins, medical sutures, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage formulations, as well as in the textile and paper industries. Organic acids can be synthesized via chemical routes or through carbohydrate fermentation, the latter of which has emerged as the preferred approach due to its lower environmental impact.
One of the major challenges in the production of organic acids is the efficient separation of the target compounds from side products generated in concurrent reactions. Of the available separation technologies, membrane-based processes—especially electrodialysis—have shown promise, as they enable the recovery of organic acids without the need for chemical additives. Nonetheless, the selective fractionation of organic acids via electrodialysis remains a considerable challenge, primarily due to the similarity in the ionic size and charge of these species, which facilitates their co-transport through ion-exchange membranes.
To address this issue, ongoing research has focused on the development of advanced ion-exchange membranes and the optimization of process parameters to enhance separation performance. In particular, the electrochemical characterization of novel membranes is essential to determine their transport properties and assess their potential for the selective separation of structurally similar organic acids.
In this context, Prof. Valentín Pérez Herranz and Dr. Kayo Santana Barros invite the submission of original research articles, case studies, reviews, and short communications addressing the selective separation of organic acids via electrodialysis. This Special Issue aims to serve as a scientific platform for disseminating recent advances in membrane-based fractionation processes and the valorization of organic acids from diverse feedstocks.
Prof. Dr. Valentín Pérez-Herranz
Dr. Kayo Barros
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- selective electrodialysis
- fractionation of organic acids
- biomass fermentation
- chronopotentiometry
- electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
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