Journal article

Lactic Acid and Salt Separation Using Membrane Technology

Sahar Talebi, Michael Garthe, Florian Roghmans, George Q Chen, Sandra E Kentish

MEMBRANES | MDPI | Published : 2021

Abstract

Acid whey is a by-product of cheese and yoghurt manufacture. The protein and lactose within acid whey can be recovered using nanofiltration and electrodialysis, but this leaves a waste stream that is a mixture of salts and lactic acid. To further add value to the acid whey treatment process, the possibility of recovering this lactic acid was investigated using either low energy reverse osmosis membranes or an electrodialysis process. Partial separation between lactic acid and potassium chloride was achieved at low applied pressures and feed pH in the reverse osmosis process, as a greater permeation of potassium chloride was observed under these conditions. Furthermore, lactic acid retention ..

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council's Industrial Transformation Research Program (ITRP)


Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported under Australian Research Council's Industrial Transformation Research Program (ITRP) funding scheme (Project Number IH120100005). The ARC Dairy Innovation Hub is a collaboration between The University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland and Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd. Funding support and provision of acid whey by Bega Cheese Limited is also gratefully acknowledged.