Seawater-based furfural production via corncob hydrolysis catalyzed by FeCl3 in acetic acid steam

Challenges including low furfural yield, high energy and fresh water consumption and a high level of pollution have blocked the development of the furfural industry for decades. In this study, a seawater-based furfural process integrated with wastewater recycling was proposed. In this process, acetic acid steam and FeCl3 were used as environmentally friendly catalysts instead of mineral acids. In order to provide supporting data for acetic acid steam-catalyzed furfural production, data on the vapor/liquid components of the water + acetic acid system were experimentally determined. In addition, the effects of acetic acid steam, seawater or/and FeCl3 on corncob hydrolysis were systematically investigated. The results indicated that coexistence of three components resulted in a remarkable increase in furfural yield and delignification efficiency. Maximum furfural yields of 72.93% and 79.53% of lignin removal were obtained at 190 degrees C in the presence of 60 mM FeCl3 and concentrated seawater (10x) in acetic acid steam. Another special focus was put on exploring the feasibility of reutilizing the furfural wastewater as a steam and acetic acid source. The results showed that comparable furfural yield and lignin removal were obtained when furfural wastewater was used instead of pure acetic acid steam. The seawater-based furfural production integrated with wastewater recycling provides a green and environmentally friendly approach to the furfural or other bio-chemicals industry.