Lactic acid separation technologies: Enhancing efficiency and purity using membrane separation technology (mini review)

The extraction and purification of lactic acid from fermentation processes is crucial for biotechnological product quality and productivity improvement. This mini review focuses on the topic of lactic acid purification processes that incorporate membrane separation technologies. Membrane filtration isolates lactic acid from fermentation broth without energy-intensive distillation. Membrane techniques involve microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration. The advantages of membrane technology are examined, including lower operational expenses, reduced thermal degradation of lactic acid, and the potential for continuous operation. This paper summarizes our research on the use of membrane separation systems, particularly microfiltration and nanofiltration, for the separation and concentration of lactic acids from fermentation broths derived from sugarcane molasses. Based on the data collected during our study, we have decided to implement membrane technology as the primary method for separation in our future work to enhance the overall efficiency and sustainability of LA production. This integration is expected to improve both the yield and purity of LA, making the production process more economically viable. Consequently, the adoption of these advanced filtration techniques could lead to a more sustainable approach in the bioprocessing industry.