Fermentative Lactic Acid Production Using Caustic Magnesium Salt
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in producing high-quality lactic acid via fermentation lies in obtaining a relatively pure form while maintaining economical production costs, particularly when using low-sugar plant extracts as carbohydrate sources, which often contain high concentrations of impurities that inhibit microbial growth and complicate recovery.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a fermentation medium with at least 25 wt.% plant extract and the addition of a caustic magnesium salt to maintain magnesium lactate in a soluble form at ≤9.5 wt.% concentration, allowing for efficient purification and minimizing purification steps, thereby utilizing low-sugar plant extracts as viable carbohydrate sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If unrefined plant extracts with low fermentable carbohydrate content are used to reduce production costs, then production costs decrease, but the concentration of impurities increases relative to fermentable sugar, making purification more difficult and inhibiting microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the fermentation medium by adding caustic magnesium salt, which reacts with lactic acid to form magnesium lactate. This parameter change prevents precipitation and maintains solubility, thereby simplifying the purification process while using low-sugar plant extracts.
Solution Approach 2:
Magnesium lactate acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the recovery of lactic acid. By converting lactic acid to magnesium lactate during fermentation, the patent enables easier separation and recovery of the final product, reducing purification complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If unrefined plant extracts with low fermentable carbohydrate content are used, then production costs decrease, but microbial growth is inhibited due to high impurity concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high impurity concentration by adding caustic magnesium salt, which neutralizes the inhibitory effects and transforms the fermentation medium into one that supports reliable microbial growth while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
3Manufacturing precision
If extensive purification steps are performed to obtain pure lactic acid from low-sugar plant extracts, then product purity increases, but production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by adding caustic magnesium salt during fermentation to prevent impurity precipitation and maintain magnesium lactate in solution. This preliminary action eliminates the need for extensive subsequent purification steps, reducing both time and cost while maintaining high product purity.
4Productivity
If magnesium lactate concentration is increased to improve lactic acid recovery, then recovery efficiency increases, but magnesium lactate precipitates in crystal form, complicating purification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the concentration parameter of magnesium lactate in the fermentation medium, maintaining it at or below 9.5 wt.% to prevent precipitation. This parameter control enables efficient lactic acid recovery while avoiding the formation of crystal precipitates that would complicate purification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of lactic acid with good stereochemical purity and yield, reducing sugar loss and minimizing purification steps, making it suitable for industrial-scale production.
Implementation Method 1
Lactic acid is often manufactured via fermentation of carbohydrates by microorganisms
Implementation Method 2
fermenting the fermentation medium by means of a lactic acid producing microorganism in the presence of a caustic magnesium salt to provide a fermentation broth containing magnesium lactate
Data Source
AI summary
A method is described for producing lactate or lactic acid from a plant extract, such as oil palm frond extract, via fermentation. In particular, the method comprises providing a fermentation medium comprising at least 25 wt. % of a plant extract containing fermentable carbohydrates, fermenting the fermentation medium by means of a lactic acid producing microorganism in the presence of a caustic magnesium salt to provide a fermentation broth containing at the most 9.5 wt. % magnesium lactate at the end of fermentation, the magnesium lactate being in soluble form during and at the end of fermentation; and recovering lactate or lactic acid from the magnesium lactate containing fermentation broth.