A first systematic study on the impact of pulsed electric field parameters on peptide migration during separation of a whey protein hydrolysate by electrodialysis with ultrafiltration membrane
Author(s)
Date Issued
May 2026
Type
article
text::journal::journal article
Volume
109
Start Page
1
End Page
12
ISSN
1466-8564
Abstract
Improving the separation efficiency of peptide-rich streams remains a key challenge in the valorization of dairy
protein hydrolysates. Recent findings suggest that applying pulsed electric field (PEF) during electrodialysis with
ultrafiltration membrane (EDUF) can influence peptide migration and reduce energy consumption. In this first
systematic study, six PEF conditions, defined by different pulse/pause durations (1 s/1 s, 5 s/1 s, 5 s/5 s, 10s/1 s,
10s/5 s, 10s/10s) were applied to separate a whey protein hydrolysate (WPH). The impact on peptide migration,
system resistance, specific energy consumption, and membrane conductivity was assessed. The duty cycle (pulse
duration divided by total cycle time), was introduced for the first time in EDUF and emerged as the most
influential parameter, showing a strong correlation with process performance. Low duty cycle conditions
enhanced migration and minimized energy consumption. These improvements were attributed to concentration
polarization (CP) relaxation during the pause duration and favorable electroconvective vortices (ECVs) activity
occurring at the beginning of each pulse, as a higher number of pulses increases the frequency of ECV appearance
and their positive effect on peptide migration. The membranes preserved their conductivity and separation
performance throughout the experiments, suggesting stable operating conditions and no detectable performance
loss. This study provides new insights into how mechanisms known in conventional electrodialysis such as CP
and ECVs formation may also occur in EDUF, opening new ways to improve process separation by varying pulse
and pause durations.
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