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Optimization of pH value and aluminium sulphate quantity in the chemical treatment of molasses

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Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to find the optimal working conditions for the chemical treatment of molasses that guarantee coagulation and precipitation of undesired macromolecules. Twenty experiments were performed, within the limits: 3.5≤pH≤8.5 and 0.1 mol Al/l≤c≤0.5 mol Al/l, on samples of molasses treated with Al2(SO4)3 as a precipitant. The efficiency of the treatment was controlled through measuring both the zeta potential and solution absorbance at 560 nm. By analysing the experimental results, it was concluded that the optimum lies within reduced limits of: 4≤pH≤7 and 0.2 mol Al/l≤c≤0.4 mol Al/l, which covers nine experimental points. Based on these measurements, a mathematical model of absorbance changes was defined, in terms of pH and Al2(SO4)3 quantity. The model was taken as the objective function, and the optimal calculated values were obtained: pH=5.3 and c=0.34 mol Al/l. They guarantee a minimal absorbance value of: 0.124 at 560 nm.

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Abbreviations

A :

Absorbance at 560 nm

b :

Parameters in the regression

c=x2:

Concentration of aluminium sulphate in a solution

δ :

Deviation between calculated and measured values

n :

Number of measurements

t :

Measure of parameter significance

x 1 :

pH value of a solution

ZP :

Zeta potential

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Aknowledgement

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Development of Serbia (Project No 1362) financially supported this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bul. cara Lazara 1, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro

    Ljubinko Lević, Julianna Gyura, Mirjana Djurić & Tatjana Kuljanin

Authors
  1. Ljubinko Lević
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  2. Julianna Gyura
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  3. Mirjana Djurić
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  4. Tatjana Kuljanin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mirjana Djurić.

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Lević, L., Gyura, J., Djurić, M. et al. Optimization of pH value and aluminium sulphate quantity in the chemical treatment of molasses. Eur Food Res Technol 220, 70–73 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-004-1017-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-004-1017-z

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