Abstract: The invention is related to a process for production of acrylic acid comprising the following steps: a) preparation of a product gas mixture by a catalytic gas-phase oxidation of at least one C3 precursor compound to acrylic acid, wherein acrylic acid is formed as a main product of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation and glyoxal is formed as a by-product and the product gas mixture comprises acrylic acid and glyoxal, b) cooling of the product gas mixture, c) contacting the product gas mixture in countercourrent with an absorbent, wherein an absorbate A, comprising the absorbent and absorbed acrylic acid, is formed, d) introducing a feed stream F (2) comprising at least part of the absorbate A into a rectification column comprising a rectifying section and a stripping section, e) enriching the absorbent in the stripping section and enriching acrylic acid in the rectifying section, f) withdrawing a stream C of crude acrylic acid comprising at least 90% by weight of acrylic acid out of the rectifying section as a