Lactic Acid
Content
Platform Chemicals
Lactic Acid
This Factsheet gives an overview of the current and potential market
NNFCC
for biorenewable lactic acid (CH3CHOHCOOH)
Introduction
Lactic acid is a bulk chemical demonstrating
strong market growth. Global production capacity
is over 500,000 tonnes with current production
between 300,000-400,000 tonnes per year.
Current applications
Lactic acid has a long history of applications in
the food and beverage sector as a preservative
and pH adjusting agent. It is used in the
pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as a
solvent and a starting material in the production
of lactate ester, among others. Lactic acid is
also used as a standard or active ingredient in
personal care products, due to its moisturising,
pH regulating and skin lightening properties.
Polymerisation of lactic acid produces a
biodegradable polymer polylactic acid (PLA)
which is used in food packaging including rigid
containers, shrink wrap and short shelf-life trays,
as well as mulch films and rubbish bags.
Renewable Chemicals
Factsheet
Markets
Potential Market Growth
Lactic acid is included in the US Department
of Energy’s top 30 chemical building block
candidates from sugars, with potential for
significant market growth in the manufacture
of PLA and solvents 2. The industrial
applications segment as a whole is growing
at a rate of 19% per year 3.
Polymers
● PLA is a biodegradable lactic acid based
polymer, which is suited to a broad range
of packaging applications including films
and rigid containers.
● European demand for PLA is currently 25,000 tonnes
per year, and could potentially reach 650,000 tonnes
per year in 2025 4. Polylactide may also be used as a
fibre for clothing, carpets and industrial applications.
Solvents
● Lactate esters (ethyl lactate and butyl lactate) are
biodegradable and non-toxic solvents with industrial
and consumer applications.
● The use of lactate esters has to date, been limited
● The market for PLA is growing at a rate
of 22% per year3. Further market growth
could result from the enhanced thermal
properties of the hetropolymer which
combines L(+)- and D(-)-lactic acid.
by cost. Processing advances have the potential to
reduce the cost of ethyl lactate to $1,700-2,000 per
tonne, allowing the solvent to compete for a greater
proportion of the 3.6-4.5 million tonnes per year global
solvent market.
-
Global Production: >300,000 tonne
-
Current Market Price: $1,300-1,600 per tonne 1
Contact Dr Adrian Higson
-
Renewable Capacity: >500,000 tonne
Head of Biorefining
-
Renewable Technology Status: Commercial
Tel: +44 (0) 1904 435182
-
Major Current Use: Polymers for the packaging
industry
[email protected]
www.nnfcc.co.uk
Image courtesy of Dupont
Technology
Production Route from Biomass
Current Status
Lactic acid is produced by the fermentation
of starch. Homolactic fermentation produces
predominantly lactic acid, whilst hetrolactic
fermentation produces a mixture of lactic
acid, acetic acid, ethanol and formic
acid. The selectivity is determined by the
organisms used. Industrially used bacteria
include Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Streptococcus thermophilus.
Almost all lactic acid produced globally is manufactured by fermentation routes, due to lower production
cost and market drivers for biorenewable products. The production of L(+)-lactic acid is commercially
mature, with many producers globally, including Purac, Galactic, Archer Daniels Midland, and Cargill.
There are two optical isomers of lactic
acid: L(+)-lactic acid and D(-)-lactic acid.
Fermentation routes to lactic acid can
produce optically pure L(+)- or D(-)-lactic
acid, depending on the bacteria selection.
The output of fermentation is an aqueous
lactic acid solution which is concentrated
by evaporation. Yields of lactic acid in
commercial operations are typically >90%
of fermentable sugars. Cost reductions
are being sought through the design of
processes which are feedstock flexible, as
well as the use of cheaper feedstocks such
as lignocellulose.
Purac have licensed technology developed by Myriant Technologies for the commercial production of
D(-)-lactic acid, they opened a commercial plant in Thailand in 2008 with capacity to produce 100,000
tonnes per year.
Environmental Performance
It is difficult to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) savings realised by biorenewable lactic acid due to the
variety of different processing routes in operation and the difficulty in selecting an appropriate petroleum
based product for displacement. However, it is appropriate to compare PLA with polypropylene (PP) and
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), two products which PLA directly replaces within the market. Today’s
technology for the manufacture of PLA realises GHG emissions savings in the range of 30 to 60%, whilst
advances in processing technology could potentially increase the GHG emissions saving to around 80% 5.
The substitution of petroleum derived PET with starch derived PLA leads to non-renewable energy savings
of 16 to 25 GJ/t (21-32%) based on today’s technology. Future technologies and the use of lignocellulosic
feedstocks could increase this saving to 67%. The land requirement for lactic acid production through
fermentation ranges from 0.05 to 0.22 ha/t depending on the technology and feedstock employed 5.
References and Further Reading
1
Young-Jung Wee, Jin-Nam Kim, Hwa-Won Ryu. Food Technology and Biotechnology: Biotechnological Production of
Lactic Acid and Its Recent Applications; Vol. 44, March 2006
U.S. Department of Energy. Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass; Volume 1: Results of Screening for
Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas, 2004
2
Manufacturers
Galactic: www.lactic.com
3
NNFCC 08-008, Nexant ChemSystems. Biochemical Opportunities in the United Kingdom, September 2008
www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=7934;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2539
4
ADM: www.adm.com
NNFCC 08-009, Peter Reineck Associates. Techno-Economic Assessment of the
Potential for a PLA Manufacturing Plant in the UK; Summary Report, September 2008.
www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=7933;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2539
NatureWorks LLC:
www.natureworksllc.com
The BREW Project. Medium and Long-term Opportunities and Risks of the Biotechnological Production of Bulk
Chemicals from Renewable Resources – The Potential of White Biotechnology, 2006
Purac: www.purac.com
5
Updated February 2011
Lactic Acid
This Factsheet gives an overview of the current and potential market
NNFCC
for biorenewable lactic acid (CH3CHOHCOOH)
Introduction
Lactic acid is a bulk chemical demonstrating
strong market growth. Global production capacity
is over 500,000 tonnes with current production
between 300,000-400,000 tonnes per year.
Current applications
Lactic acid has a long history of applications in
the food and beverage sector as a preservative
and pH adjusting agent. It is used in the
pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as a
solvent and a starting material in the production
of lactate ester, among others. Lactic acid is
also used as a standard or active ingredient in
personal care products, due to its moisturising,
pH regulating and skin lightening properties.
Polymerisation of lactic acid produces a
biodegradable polymer polylactic acid (PLA)
which is used in food packaging including rigid
containers, shrink wrap and short shelf-life trays,
as well as mulch films and rubbish bags.
Renewable Chemicals
Factsheet
Markets
Potential Market Growth
Lactic acid is included in the US Department
of Energy’s top 30 chemical building block
candidates from sugars, with potential for
significant market growth in the manufacture
of PLA and solvents 2. The industrial
applications segment as a whole is growing
at a rate of 19% per year 3.
Polymers
● PLA is a biodegradable lactic acid based
polymer, which is suited to a broad range
of packaging applications including films
and rigid containers.
● European demand for PLA is currently 25,000 tonnes
per year, and could potentially reach 650,000 tonnes
per year in 2025 4. Polylactide may also be used as a
fibre for clothing, carpets and industrial applications.
Solvents
● Lactate esters (ethyl lactate and butyl lactate) are
biodegradable and non-toxic solvents with industrial
and consumer applications.
● The use of lactate esters has to date, been limited
● The market for PLA is growing at a rate
of 22% per year3. Further market growth
could result from the enhanced thermal
properties of the hetropolymer which
combines L(+)- and D(-)-lactic acid.
by cost. Processing advances have the potential to
reduce the cost of ethyl lactate to $1,700-2,000 per
tonne, allowing the solvent to compete for a greater
proportion of the 3.6-4.5 million tonnes per year global
solvent market.
-
Global Production: >300,000 tonne
-
Current Market Price: $1,300-1,600 per tonne 1
Contact Dr Adrian Higson
-
Renewable Capacity: >500,000 tonne
Head of Biorefining
-
Renewable Technology Status: Commercial
Tel: +44 (0) 1904 435182
-
Major Current Use: Polymers for the packaging
industry
[email protected]
www.nnfcc.co.uk
Image courtesy of Dupont
Technology
Production Route from Biomass
Current Status
Lactic acid is produced by the fermentation
of starch. Homolactic fermentation produces
predominantly lactic acid, whilst hetrolactic
fermentation produces a mixture of lactic
acid, acetic acid, ethanol and formic
acid. The selectivity is determined by the
organisms used. Industrially used bacteria
include Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Streptococcus thermophilus.
Almost all lactic acid produced globally is manufactured by fermentation routes, due to lower production
cost and market drivers for biorenewable products. The production of L(+)-lactic acid is commercially
mature, with many producers globally, including Purac, Galactic, Archer Daniels Midland, and Cargill.
There are two optical isomers of lactic
acid: L(+)-lactic acid and D(-)-lactic acid.
Fermentation routes to lactic acid can
produce optically pure L(+)- or D(-)-lactic
acid, depending on the bacteria selection.
The output of fermentation is an aqueous
lactic acid solution which is concentrated
by evaporation. Yields of lactic acid in
commercial operations are typically >90%
of fermentable sugars. Cost reductions
are being sought through the design of
processes which are feedstock flexible, as
well as the use of cheaper feedstocks such
as lignocellulose.
Purac have licensed technology developed by Myriant Technologies for the commercial production of
D(-)-lactic acid, they opened a commercial plant in Thailand in 2008 with capacity to produce 100,000
tonnes per year.
Environmental Performance
It is difficult to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) savings realised by biorenewable lactic acid due to the
variety of different processing routes in operation and the difficulty in selecting an appropriate petroleum
based product for displacement. However, it is appropriate to compare PLA with polypropylene (PP) and
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), two products which PLA directly replaces within the market. Today’s
technology for the manufacture of PLA realises GHG emissions savings in the range of 30 to 60%, whilst
advances in processing technology could potentially increase the GHG emissions saving to around 80% 5.
The substitution of petroleum derived PET with starch derived PLA leads to non-renewable energy savings
of 16 to 25 GJ/t (21-32%) based on today’s technology. Future technologies and the use of lignocellulosic
feedstocks could increase this saving to 67%. The land requirement for lactic acid production through
fermentation ranges from 0.05 to 0.22 ha/t depending on the technology and feedstock employed 5.
References and Further Reading
1
Young-Jung Wee, Jin-Nam Kim, Hwa-Won Ryu. Food Technology and Biotechnology: Biotechnological Production of
Lactic Acid and Its Recent Applications; Vol. 44, March 2006
U.S. Department of Energy. Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass; Volume 1: Results of Screening for
Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas, 2004
2
Manufacturers
Galactic: www.lactic.com
3
NNFCC 08-008, Nexant ChemSystems. Biochemical Opportunities in the United Kingdom, September 2008
www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=7934;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2539
4
ADM: www.adm.com
NNFCC 08-009, Peter Reineck Associates. Techno-Economic Assessment of the
Potential for a PLA Manufacturing Plant in the UK; Summary Report, September 2008.
www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=7933;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2539
NatureWorks LLC:
www.natureworksllc.com
The BREW Project. Medium and Long-term Opportunities and Risks of the Biotechnological Production of Bulk
Chemicals from Renewable Resources – The Potential of White Biotechnology, 2006
Purac: www.purac.com
5
Updated February 2011
