A fluid from a fermentation process or the like is passed or circulated
through chambers of a bipolar membrane electrodialysis unit to separate
an ionizable organic acid stream and at least one co-ion or residual
stream. The organic acid stream is preferably concentrated (e.g., by
recirculation, dewatering or both), and a product is recovered from the
concentrated stream, for example by crystallization, and other outputs
from the electrodialysis unit may be integrated with overall treatment
and applied elsewhere in the treatment system. Depleted feed may be
returned upstream to enhance yield, condition the medium or form a
by-product. Treatment systems of the invention may replace a cation
exchange bed and/or various filter arrangements, and recirculation of the
feed and product flows through the unit enhance recovery, separation and
quality of the target species. An ED chamber may include a filling of ion
exchange beads to maintain a desired operating efficiency as the feed is
depleted, and the straight-through operation effectively operates as
pre-filtration stage to provide downstream product-bearing flows with
processing characteristics for enhanced treatment, recovery and product
quality. When operated to treat a downstream waste, systems allow
additional recovery of value in the form of product, unexpended
nutrients, co-factors and/or other components present in the waste.