Separation of Levulinic Acid from One Pot Biomass Conversion Stream

2026 USDA-NIFA Competitive Research Support

Principal Investigators and affiliations:

• PI: Dr. Xianghong Qian, University of Arkansas
  
• Funded: $72,315
  
• Start Date: 1/1/2026
  
• End Date: 8/30/2026

Objectives

This project focuses on the separation, particularly the extraction of levulinic acid after one-pot production from the catalytic conversion of cellulose using our patented dual chain polymeric acid catalyst.

1. Investigate the effects of aqueous phase salt type and salt concentration on the extraction of the model levulinic acid compound from the γ-valerolactone (GVL) solvent.
2. Optimize the extraction efficiency using selected salt (type and concentration) solutions on the extraction of levulinic acid from GVL/IL mixed solvents to aqueous solution.
3. Investigate and optimize the extraction efficiency using previously optimized aqueous solutions for levulinic acid from biomass conversion in GVL/IL mixed solvents.
   

Expected Project Outcomes

Successful completion of the project will lead to a fundamental understanding of liquid-liquid extraction of levulinic acid from common solvents for biomass processing. In particular, the effects of salt type and salt concentration of the aqueous phase on the extraction efficiency of levulinic acid from a model and real biomass feed streams in GVL and GVL/IL mixed solvents.