Patent ID: 8318972

Claim:
A method for making a peroxycarboxylic acid composition, said method comprising: a. electrolytically generating an alkaline solution of hydrogen peroxide or peroxide ions in a reactor comprising a cathode chamber having a cathode, an anode chamber having an anode and at least one cation exchange membrane separating said chambers; b. providing a source of alkali metal ions to said anode chamber such that the molar ratio of alkali metal ions to protons formed in the anode chamber is greater than 1 and the predominant cations transported through the at least one cation exchange membrane are alkali metal ions; c. reacting said electrolytically generated alkaline solution of hydrogen peroxide or peroxide ions with an acyl donor to form peroxycarboxylic acid in a mixing chamber that is electrically isolated from said anode and cathode of the reactor to produce the peroxycarboxylic acid composition comprising alkali metal ions; d. introducing said peroxycarboxylic acid composition from said mixing chamber to said reactor; e. adjusting the pH of said peroxycarboxylic acid composition by electrodialysis; and c. f. removing said peroxycarboxylic acid composition from said reactor to obtain a peroxycarboxylic acid product solution, wherein the peroxycarboxylic acid composition formed has a pH that is less than or equal to 8.