Patent · US Expired

Process for the separation and purification of lactic acid from a fermentation medium

US6280985A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
5References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 13, 2000
Grant dateAug 28, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 13, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07C51/47
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the separation and purification of lactic acid from a fermentation medium wherein the lactic acid is totally or partially in the form of a salt or salts. The lactic acid producing microorganisms are separated from the other components of the fermentation medium. This solution is concentrated and then acidified to a pH below or equal to 3. The acidified solution is passed over a cation exchange resin to give a fraction that has maximum of 25% lactic acid salts relative to the dry weight of the solution. This fraction is subjected to bipolar fractionating electrodialysis. The resulting lactic acid is further purified, concentrated and then recovered.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.