Abstract: An indirect acidulation process for producing glutamic acid from an aqueous feed containing a glutamate resulting from fermentation includes: a) contacting an aqueous feed stream at an elevated temperature with a weak acid cation exchanger (WACE) which is at least partially in its acid form, whereby a part of the cations in the solution is taken up by the cation exchanger and protons are introduced into the solution; b) contacting a second aqueous feed containing glutamate and cations at an elevated temperature with a strong acid cation exchanger (SACE) that is obtained from a subsequent step and carries cationic glutamate, whereby the cationic glutamate is transferred into the solution and most of the cations in the second aqueous feed are taken up by the SACE; c) crystallizing glutamic acid from the effluent of step (b); d) contacting the mother liquor of step (c) with the SACE which is at least partially in its acid form whereby cationic glutamate is bound; e) utilizing the SACE obtained in step (d) in ste

Abstract: A cation exchange membrane mediated acid-salt metathetic process. An aqueous salt solution is placed into a first compartment on one side of the membrane together with an organic amine extractant of limited water miscibility, and an aqueous acid solution is placed into a second compartment on the other side of the membrane. Product acid forms in the first compartment and collects in the organic amine extractant from where it is recovered. The process is particularly suitable for the recovery of a carboxylic acid from its salt.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production and utilization of water-soluble salts selected from the group consisting of water-soluble salts of carboxylic acids and water-soluble salts of amino acids, comprising reacting an aqueous feed solution containing an amino or carboxylic acid or their anions with a water-soluble base, in indirect contact via a semi-permeable membrane, the membrane being permselective to amino acids, carboxylic acids and their anions over cations and non-ionized species, whereby there is formed a salt solution of the acid containing less impurities per anion than the feed solution and utilizing the salt values from the formed salt solution of the acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of aspartic acid via a fermentation process for the preparation of ammonium fumarate, wherein the pH of the fermentation broth is controlled by the addition of a calcium base to produce a calcium fumarate precipitate, characterized in that ammonium fumarate is produced by separating the precipitated calcium fumarate from the fermentation broth, and reacting the same with a reagent selected from ammonia, ammonium carbonate, ammonia in combination with CO.sub.2 and mixtures thereof, to form ammonium fumarate and a co-product selected from calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide, wherein the energy of indirect neutralization of fumaric acid by ammonia serves as the driving force for the conversion of calcium fumarate to the desired ammonium fumarate product and for the regeneration of a calcium base reagent, and wherein diammonium fumarate is enzymatically converted to ammonium aspartate and acidulated to from aspartic acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing atmospheric pollution caused by a pollutant selected from the group consisting of CO.sub.2, SO.sub.2 and a mixture thereof, the pollutant being contained in industrial gases being emitted to the atmosphere, through the conversion of CO.sub.2 to calcium carbonate and the conversion of SO.sub.2 to calcium sulfite using conventionally available calcium salt-containing reactant; said method comprising reacting the pollutant-containing gas, prior to the venting thereof to the atmosphere, with an alkali base and an aqueous liquor, whereby the pollutant reacts with the base and transfers to the liquor, and the resulting gas vented to the atmosphere has a reduced pollutant content; and reacting the pollutant-loaded liquor with a calcium salt-containing reactant to form calcium carbonate and calcium sulfite respectively, with the co-formation of a commercially utilizable salt containing an anion from the calcium salt reactant and a cation from the alkali base.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of monosodium glutamate from a fermentatively prepared solution containing monoammonium glutamate, the process comprising: a) contacting the solution containing monoammonium glutamate salt with a basic anion exchange resin of at least medium strength to split the salt, whereby glutamate anions attach to the anion exchanger and ammonia is released in the solution; b) subjecting the ammonia-containing solution to distillation, to recover volatile ammonia therefrom; c) contacting the glutamate-containing anion exchange resin with a sodium base solution to regenerate the basic anion exchanger and to directly form monosodium glutamate salt in solution; and d) crystallizing monosodium glutamate salt directly from the monosodium glutamate-containing solution, wherein the crystallized salt has a purity of at least 98%.