Economic projection of 2-phenylethanol production from whey

Whey is a byproduct of the cheese industry, which is potentially dangerous for the environment if it is not treated before its discharge. An alternative use for whey is as raw material to produce compounds with high added value as 2-phenylethanol (2-PE). Experimental production of 2-PE from whey using Kluyveromices marxianus as inoculum was evaluated. Maximum 2-PE concentration obtained was 780 mg/L and a lactose removal efficiency of 99.4% with the addition of L-phenylalanine (1 g/L) as a precursor and ammonium sulphate (NH4)(2)SO4 (450 mg/L) using a K. marxianus inoculums (1 x 10(6)CFU/mL) at 30 degrees C/180 rpm. Based on experimental results the process simulation was performed on Aspen Plus V.10. Operation costs were estimated, and fixed costs projection was performed based on essential equipment. Two scenarios were established. In the first one, the sale of the product as an additive with the characteristics of fermentation output was considered; in which case, the breaking point of the process was calculated to obtain the minimal sale price estimate. On the second one, the 2-PE sale as a high purity product was considered and the income from the sale of the product with these characteristics was assessed. (C) 2019 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.