BACKGROUNDAconitic acid (propene-1, 2, 3- tricarboxylic acid) is the most prevalent organic acid found in sugar cane. It is used in the food processing industry as an acidulant and can be used in the synthesis of plasticizers. It can also be used to synthesize biodegradable polyesters for tissue engineering applications. In this study, aconitic acid was isolated from sugarcane molasses via liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Six combinations of time and temperature (1-6 h at either 30 or 40 degrees C) were tested. In order to conserve solvent, ethyl acetate was recovered and reused for subsequent extractions. The recovery of aconitic acid from vinasse was also evaluated. RESULTSUnder the most efficient set of conditions, 69% of the aconitic acid was recovered as free acid. The purity (HPLC) of the extracted acid was found to be 99.9%. Ethanol was an additional stream that was generated by fermentation of molasses and yields of 12.4% (g per 100 g of molasses) were obtained. CONCLUSIONThe yield of aconitic acid from molasses varied from 34-69%, depending on the extraction conditions, with purity of the extracted acid being 99.9%. The aconitic acid is of a quality sufficient to synthesize polymers that could realize high-value in biomedical applications. (c) 2013 Society of Chemical Industry