Patent ID: 8679364

Claim:
A process for producing a deicer composition, said process comprising: (a) treating a biomass feedstock in the presence of an acidic, neutral, or alkaline solution to solubilize at least a portion of said biomass, thereby producing an extract liquor; (b) adjusting the pH of said extract liquor to a selected first pH of about 4.8 or less, thereby producing an acidified extract liquor comprising acetic acid and formic acid; (c) separating dissociated acetic acid and formic acid from said acidified extract liquor to form a dilute organic acid solution; (d) combining said dilute organic acid solution with an alkali oxide, alkali hydroxide, and/or alkali carbonate, wherein said alkali is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and combinations thereof, to adjust the pH to a selected second pH of at least about 3.8, thereby producing an organic salt solution comprising alkali acetate and alkali formate; and (e) concentrating said organic salt solution to a concentration of at least about 25 wt % organic salts, thereby producing a deicer composition comprising alkali acetate and alkali formate.