EXTRACTIVE LACTIC-ACID FERMENTATION USING ION-EXCHANGE RESIN

Lactic acid fermentation is an end-product-inhibited reaction. The restriction imposed by lactic acid on its fermentation can be avoided by extractive fermentation techniques. Studies were performed by attaching an ion-exchange resin packed column with a 2-L fermentor for separation of lactic acid. The fermentation, in a conventional batch mode, resulted in a lactic acid yield of 0.828 g . g-1 and a lactic acid productivity of 0.313 g . L-1 . h-1. However, these could be further enhanced to 0.929 g . g-1 and 1.665 g . L-1 . h-1 by extractive fermentation techniques. The effect of temperature on extractive fermentation was remarkable and has been included in this work.