The present invention relates to a process for preparing a
carboxylic acid from a hydrolysable
polymer containing the
carboxylic acid, comprising at least the following process steps: i) depolymerizing the
polymer by hydrolyzing the
polymer in an aqueous
hydrolysis solution to form a
carboxylic acid salt and optionally at least one further
monomer component of the polymer; ii) optionally removing other
monomer components and any other soluble and / or insoluble impurities from the
hydrolysate solution produced in process step i); iii) transferring the
hydrolysate solution produced in process step ii) to the
anode chamber of the
electrolysis device; iv) electrolyzing in the
anode chamber using the
hydrolysate solution, the electrolyzing device having, in addition to the
anode chamber, a
cathode chamber filled with a liquid, by connecting the electrolyzing device to a
voltage source, a current flowing through the electrolyzing device and
ion exchange in the liquid between the anode chamber and the
cathode chamber, whereby the liquid in the
cathode chamber becomes alkaline, and the liquid in the anode chamber becomes alkaline; protons are formed in the anode chamber, so that
carboxylate is protonated, and carboxylic acid is precipitated; and v) removing the formed carboxylic acid from at least part of the hydrolysate solution, in which vi) the liquid generated in the cathode chamber of the
electrolysis device in the process step iv) is used as a component of the hydrolysate solution in step i).