Effect of yeast fermentation by-products on poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] pervaporative performance

The pervaporation recovery of ethanol from yeast fen-nentation broth was investigated using poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)- I propyne]. The deterioration of membrane performance in the presence of fermentation broth was observed. The fouled membrane was characterized by gas permeation and density measurements, and sorption of pure components of the fermentation broth in PTMSP was studied to clarify the fouling mechanism. It was concluded that properties of the membrane deteriorate due to internal contamination of the PTMSP free volume with non-volatile by-products of the fermentation. The PTMSP film did not show appreciable deterioration of membrane properties in the pervaporation of aqueous solution of organic compounds with high volatility. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.