Extraction of lactic acid from aqueous solution using ionic liquids with trialkylamine and tetraalkylammonium salt based extractants

CHED 313

Amy E. Wirtz, wirtzae@westminster.edu, Chemistry Department, Westminster College, S. Market St., New Wilmington, PA 16172 and Peter M Smith, smithpm@westminster.edu, Department of Chemistry, Westminster College, S. Market St., New Wilmington, PA 16172.
Lactic acid is an essential industrial chemical used in the production of plastics, food additives, and pharmaceuticals. It is industrially produced through fermentation of glucose, a process that closely mimics the lactic acid creation in biological systems. This research was designed to create a different, more energy efficient, approach for obtaining lactic acid from fermentation broths. Lactic acid was extracted from aqueous solutions using two specific tetraalkylphosphonium ionic liquids with trialkylamine and tetraalkylammonium salt based extractants (Alamine 308 and Aliquat 336) of varied concentrations. The success of the extraction was analyzed by a colorimetric method and/or HPLC analysis.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Analytical Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007