LACTIC-ACID PRODUCTION BY ELECTRODIALYSIS .1. EXPERIMENTAL TESTS

Lactic acid, the production of which from cheap raw materials is attra ctive due to its great potential in the production of biodegradable po lymers, can be obtained from fermentation broths using electrodialysis . This work discusses the feasibility of this process using commercial membranes, together with the influence of several operating parameter s on the electrodialysis stack performance. It was found that it is po ssible to operate with high current efficiency values, while the overa ll recovery of sodium lactate depends on the current density. Electroo smotic water transport limits the maximum concentration value achievab le using this technique.