Performance of High Molecular Weight Osmotic Solution for Opuntia Betacyanin Concentration by Forward Osmosis | Bentham Science

摘要

Background: Forward osmosis is a sustainable membrane process employed for concentratingthermo-sensitive compounds to minimize storage and transportation costs with improved shelf life.Objective: In this study, the intervention of high molecular weight osmotic agents in the concentrationof Opuntia betacyanin using forward osmosis was studied. Furthermore, the statistical model was usedto estimate the probabilistic behavior of the forward osmosis process during concentration.Methods: By using 2k-full factor analysis, the hydrodynamic variables, such as flow rate (50 and 150mL/min) and temperature (20 and 50oC) of the feed solution and osmotic agent solution (OAS) were selected.The study focused on inquiring and developing a statistically significant mathematical model usingfour independent variables on transmembrane flux, concentration factor and concentrate recovery.Results: Betacyanin feed flow rate of 50 mL/min at 28oC, and OAS flow rate of 150 mL/min at 50oCwere determined as optimal conditions with a 2.5-fold increase in total soluble solids for a processingtime of 4 h. Furthermore, forward osmosis enhanced the betacyanin concentration from 898 to 1004mg/L and 98.7% recovery with 0.40 L/m2h transmembrane flux with comparable improvement in itsphysicochemical characteristics. The lower p-value of the main effects on the responses validated thesignificance of the process parameters on betacyanin concentration.Conclusion: The study suggested that a high molecular weight sucrose could be used as an osmoticagent for the concentration of Opuntia betacyanin during forward osmosis.