Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C51/00—Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides
  • C07C51/41—Preparation of salts of carboxylic acids
  • C07C51/412—Preparation of salts of carboxylic acids by conversion of the acids, their salts, esters or anhydrides with the same carboxylic acid part
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C51/00—Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides
  • C07C51/42—Separation; Purification; Stabilisation; Use of additives
  • C07C51/43—Separation; Purification; Stabilisation; Use of additives by change of the physical state, e.g. crystallisation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C59/00—Compounds having carboxyl groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms and containing any of the groups OH, O—metal, —CHO, keto, ether, groups, groups, or groups
  • C07C59/01—Saturated compounds having only one carboxyl group and containing hydroxy or O-metal groups
  • C07C59/08—Lactic acid
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J11/00—Recovery or working-up of waste materials
  • C08J11/04—Recovery or working-up of waste materials of polymers
  • C08J11/10—Recovery or working-up of waste materials of polymers by chemically breaking down the molecular chains of polymers or breaking of crosslinks, e.g. devulcanisation
  • C08J11/105—Recovery or working-up of waste materials of polymers by chemically breaking down the molecular chains of polymers or breaking of crosslinks, e.g. devulcanisation by treatment with enzymes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12P—FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE
  • C12P7/00—Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds
  • C12P7/40—Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
  • C12P7/56—Lactic acid
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07B—GENERAL METHODS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C07B2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to specific properties of organic compounds
  • C07B2200/07—Optical isomers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J2367/00—Characterised by the use of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers
  • C08J2367/04—Polyesters derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
  • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
  • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
  • Y02W30/62—Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a process for producing magnesium L-lactate in high enantiomeric purity and low amounts of non-lactate impurities.
• the present invention further relates to a process for enriching the enantiomeric purity of recycled lactate salt containing an enantiomeric mixture of L- and D-lactate.
• Lactic acid fermentation namely, production of lactic acid from carbohydrate sources via microbial fermentation, has been gaining interest in recent years due to the ability to use lactic acid as a building block in the manufacture of bioplastics.
• Lactic acid can be polymerized to form the biodegradable and recyclable polyester, polylactic acid (PLA), which is considered a potential substitute for plastics manufactured from petroleum.
• PLA is used in the manufacture of various products including food packaging, disposables, fibers in the textile and hygiene products industries, and more.
• lactic acid by fermentation bioprocesses is preferred over chemical synthesis methods for various considerations, including environmental concerns, costs and the difficulty to generate enantiomerically pure lactic acid by chemical synthesis, which is desired for most industrial applications.
• the conventional fermentation process is typically based on anaerobic fermentation by lactic acid-producing microorganisms, which produce lactic acid as the major metabolic end product of carbohydrate fermentation.
• the lactic acid generated during the fermentation is separated from the fermentation broth and purified by various processes, and the purified lactic acid is then subjected to polymerization.
• Lactic acid has a chiral carbon atom and therefore exists in two enantiomeric forms, D- and L-lactic acid.
• the D- or L- lactic acid entering the production process must be highly purified to meet the specification required for polymerization and reuse.
• Lactic acid bacteria that produce only L-lactate enantiomer or only D-lactate enantiomer are typically used in order to produce one discreet enantiomer (L or D, respectively).
• the carbohydrate source for lactic acid fermentation is typically a starch-containing renewable source such as corn and cassava root. Additional sources, such as the cellulose-rich sugarcane bagasse, have also been proposed.
• lactic acid-producing bacteria can utilize reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose, but do not have the ability to degrade polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose.
• reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose
• polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose.
• the process requires adding glycolytic enzymes, typically in combination with chemical treatment, to degrade the polysaccharides and release reducing sugars.
• An additional source of carbohydrates for lactic acid fermentation that has been proposed is complex organic waste, such as mixed food waste from municipal, industrial and commercial origin.
• Organic waste is advantageous as it is readily available and less expensive compared to other carbohydrate sources for lactic acid fermentation.
• Mixed food waste typically includes varied ratios of reducing sugars (glucose, fructose, lactose, etc.), starch and lignocellulosic material.
• Mixed food waste also contains endogenous D,L-lactic acid (e.g., from dairy products or natural decomposition during transportation), one of which needs to be removed in order to utilize the waste as a substrate for producing optically pure lactic acid (L- or D- lactic acid).
• WO 2017/122197 assigned to the Applicant of the present invention, discloses dual action lactic-acid (LA) -utilizing bacteria genetically modified to secrete polysaccharidedegrading enzymes such as cellulases, hemicellulases, and amylases, useful for processing organic waste both to eliminate lactic acid present in the waste and degrade complex polysaccharides.
• WO 2020/208635 assigned to the Applicant of the present invention, discloses systems and methods for processing organic waste, particularly mixed food waste, using a D-lactate oxidase, which eliminates D-lactic acid that is present in the organic waste.
• PLA produced from renewable resources is an alternative to petroleum-derived plastics, and its use in the manufacture of products such as food packaging is continuously growing. Due to the increasing presence of PLA in disposable end products, it is important to ensure that PLA is adequately addressed after disposal. Unlike thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and poly(ethylene terephthalate), PLA is subject to thermal degradation. Accordingly, when products containing a mixture of PLA and the aforementioned plastics are recycled, it is desirable to separate PLA in order to avoid contamination of the recycling streams.
• Recycling options for PLA include landfilling, composting, anaerobic digestion (biogas production), incineration and chemical recycling into the constituent monomers. Chemical recycling is preferred over other methods as the monomers can be reused in the production of new PLA.
• PLA poly (D-L-)lactic acid
• PDLLA poly (D-L-)lactic acid
• PLLA made from L-lactic acid
• PDLA small amounts of PDLA
• a significant portion of the PLA plastics present on the market contains a small amount of PDLA that when hydrolyzed, releases D-lactic acid.
• the hydrolyzed material may also contain unknown amounts of D-lactic acid formed by racemization during the hydrolysis.
• An optical purity of over 99% is typically required for both D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid entering the PLA production process. Therefore, PLA recycling processes should address the issue of isomer separation. Chemical separation of the two enantiomers is expensive, usually using liquid or solid enantio selective membranes or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
• thermohydrolysis is the first step, followed by D-LA removal from the hydrolyzed material to yield pure L-LA that could be redirected into the production of the polymer itself.
• Thermohydrolysis was performed with water in the presence of NaOH. D-LA removal from the resulting syrup was achieved using an Escherichia coli lacking all three L-lactate dehydrogenases identified.
• WO 2015/112098 discloses a process for manufacturing lactide from plastics having polylactic acid (PLA-based plastics) that comprises preparing PLA-based plastics, accelerating decomposition of polylactic acid in the plastics by alcoholysis or hydrolysis to provide low molecular weight polylactic acid, and thermal decomposition of the low molecular weight polylactic acid to provide lactide. Also, the process further comprises minimizing the size of the PLA-based plastics after the preparation step, and purifying lactide after thermal decomposition of the low molecular weight poly lactic acid.
• PLA-based plastics polylactic acid
• U.S. 7,985,778 discloses a method for decomposing and reclaiming synthetic resin having ester bond in composition structure thereof, by conducting hydrolysis treatment and then separation collection treatment.
• hydrolysis treatment an article containing synthetic resin to be decomposed and reclaimed is exposed to water vapor atmosphere filled under saturation water vapor pressure at treatment temperature at or below melting point of the synthetic resin.
• the synthetic resin in article to be treated is hydrolyzed by water vapor generated at the treatment temperature, to generate decomposition product before polymerizing to the synthetic resin containing an ester bond.
• the separation collection treatment is treatment in which the decomposition product generated by the hydrolysis treatment is separated into liquid component and solid component to be collected individually.
• U.S. 8,614,338 discloses a method for the stereospecific chemical recycling of a mixture of polymers based on polylactic acid PLA, in order to reform the monomer thereof or one of the derivatives thereof.
• the method comprises a step of putting the mixture of polymers in suspension in a lactic ester able to dissolve the PLA fraction followed by a separation firstly of the lactic ester, the PLA and other dissolved impurities and secondly the mixture of other polymers and impurities that are insoluble.
• the solution containing the PLA thus obtained is then subjected to a catalytic depolymerization reaction by transesterification in order to form oligoesters.
• the depolymerization reaction by transesterification is then stopped at a given moment and the residual lactic ester separated.
• the oligoester thus obtained then undergoes a cyclisation reaction in order to produce lactide that will finally be purified stereospecifically so as to obtain a fraction of purified lactide having a meso-lactide content of between 0.1% and 40%.
• U.S. 8,431,683 and U.S. 8,481,675 disclose a process for recycling a polymer blend necessarily containing PLA, comprising grinding, compacting, dissolving in a solvent of PLA, removing the undissolved contaminating polymers, alcoholysis depolymerization reaction and purification steps.
• U.S. 8,895,778 discloses depolymerization of polyesters such as post-consumer polylactic acid. Ultrasonic induced implosions can be used to facilitate the depolymerization. Post-consumer PLA was exposed to methanol as the suspension media in the presence of organic or ionic salts of alkali metals such a potassium carbonate and sodium hydroxide as depolymerization catalysts to provide high quality lactic acid monomers in high yield.
• alkali metals such as potassium carbonate and sodium hydroxide
• U.S. 2018/0051156 discloses a method for enhancing/accelerating the depolymerization of polymers (e.g., those containing hydrolyzable linkages), the method generally involves contacting a polymer comprising hydrolyzable linkages with a solvent and an alcohol to give a polymer mixture in which the polymer is substantially dissolved, wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature at or below the boiling point of the polymer mixture.
• a resulting depolymerized polymer can be separated therefrom (including, e.g., monomers and/or oligomers).
• Such methods can be conducted under relatively mild temperature and pressure conditions.
• the polymer is poly (lactic acid).
• WO 2021/165964 assigned to the Applicant of the present invention, discloses industrial fermentation for the production of lactic acid from organic waste combined with chemical recycling of polylactic acid to obtain lactic acid at high yields. There remains an unmet need for economical and reliable processes for generation of enantiomerically pure L-lactate salt from decomposed waste containing both L- and D-lactate enantiomers.
• the present invention provides highly pure L-lactate monomers from lactic acid fermentation of organic waste and/or chemical hydrolysis of PLA.
• the present invention also provides a process for enriching the enantiomeric purity of lactate salt obtained from recycling of organic waste and/or PLA waste.
• the present invention is based, in part, on the unexpected finding that the enantiomeric purity of L-lactate can be increased by performing ion exchange or swap of the lactate counterion in a fermentation broth or a PLA hydrolysis slurry containing various concentrations of D-lactate monomers to result in the enantio selective precipitation of L-lactate salt, specifically magnesium L-lactate salt.
• the present invention therefore enables the recycling of waste from various sources including waste that contains endogenous D-lactate monomers while obviating the need for D-lactic acidutilizing bacteria or enzymes to eliminate D-lactate monomers.
• the present invention advantageously produces L-lactate in enantiomeric purity of over 99% which can be used for the commercial production of PLA with no additional processing for isomer separation.
• both the fermentation of organic waste and the hydrolysis of PLA are performed in the presence of an alkaline compound.
• an alkaline compound typically sodium, potassium, ammonium or magnesium hydroxide, and a mixture or combination thereof, is added to neutralize the pH thereby resulting in the formation of a lactate salt.
• ammonia water aqua ammonia
• Ammonia water derived from a solid biomass of a previous fermentation process is an excellent source of alkalinity to be added to adjust the pH of the fermentation broth to a desired value while also affording significant cost savings by obviating the need for costly alkaline compound to be added. Furthermore, it provides an additional recycling of the solid biomass that is obtained after lactic acid fermentation.
• a process for enriching L-lactate enantiomer from an enantiomeric mixture derived from decomposed organic waste comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the enantiomeric mixture of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium L-lactate salt with enriched enantiomeric purity.
• the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer by 1% or more. In another embodiment, the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer by 5% or more. In yet another embodiment, the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer by 10% or more. In particular embodiments, the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer of up to 15%. In other embodiments, the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer of up to 20%. In yet other embodiments, the process provides enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer of up to 25%. In certain embodiments, the decomposed organic waste is obtained from a lactic acid fermentation process. In further embodiments, the decomposed organic waste is obtained from a lactic acid-containing waste. In additional embodiments, the decomposed organic waste is obtained from hydrolysis of polylactic acid polymer.
• the organic waste comprises a carbohydrate source.
• the organic waste is selected from food waste, municipal food waste, residential food waste, agricultural waste, industrial food waste from food processing facilities, commercial food waste (from hospitals, restaurants, shopping centers, airports etc.), and a mixture or combination thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the decomposed organic waste is pre-treated prior to step (a).
• pretreatment comprises removal of non-lactic acidcontaining impurities.
• the decomposed organic waste contains endogenous D-lactate in an amount of up to 20wt.%.
• the enantiomeric mixture comprises 20% D-lactate or less.
• the enantiomeric mixture comprises 10% D-lactate or less.
• the enantiomeric mixture comprises 5% D-lactate or less.
• the counterion is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium.
• the process of the present invention utilizes decomposed organic waste comprising an enantiomeric mixture of D- and L-lactate and a counterion other than magnesium, it is contemplated that magnesium ions can be present in the decomposed organic waste.
• the decomposed organic waste comprises an enantiomeric mixture of D- and L-lactate, magnesium ions, and a counterion other than magnesium.
• step (b) comprising neutralizing the D- and L-lactate is performed.
• neutralization is performed to a pH of about 6.5 to about 7.5, including each value within the specified range.
• neutralization is performed in the presence of an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• neutralization is performed in the presence of sulfuric acid.
• neutralization is performed in the presence of a base selected from sodium, potassium, or ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• step (b) comprising removing solid particles from the decomposed organic waste is performed and removal of solid particles comprises solidliquid separation.
• step (c) is performed at elevated temperatures. In some embodiments, step (c) is performed at temperatures in the range of 20°C to 80°C, including each value within the specified range.
• the magnesium salt in step (c) is added in solid form. In alternative embodiments, the magnesium salt in step (c) is added as an aqueous solution. In further embodiments, the magnesium salt in step (c) is gradually added. In other embodiments, the magnesium salt in step (c) is added in excess of up to 20%. In further embodiments, the magnesium salt in step (c) is derived from acidification, methylation or acetylation of magnesium L-lactate of a previous batch.
• the magnesium salt in step (c) is magnesium sulfate.
• the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt is separated by filtration or centrifugation.
• the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt is subjected to subsequent purification.
• subsequent purification comprises at least one of crystallization, recrystallization, partitioning, silica gel chromatography, preparative HPLC, and combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• subsequent purification comprises washing the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt, for example using purified water.
• subsequent purification comprises dissolving and recrystallizing the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt.
• the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt comprises less than 3% magnesium D-lactate. In another embodiment, the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt comprises less than 2% magnesium D-lactate. In yet another embodiment, the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt comprises less than 1.5% magnesium D-lactate. In specific embodiments, the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt comprises less than 1% magnesium D-lactate. In further embodiments, the obtained magnesium L-lactate salt is crystalline magnesium L-lactate dihydrate.
• the obtained magnesium L-lactate is acidified to form L- lactic acid by at least one of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof.
• hydrochloric acid hydrobromic acid
• nitric acid nitric acid
• phosphoric acid phosphoric acid
• sulfuric acid sulfuric acid
• combinations thereof each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the L-lactic acid is used for subsequent polylactic acid formation.
• the process disclosed herein further comprises enriching the purity of L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste.
• a process for enriching the purity of L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the decomposed organic waste of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium L-lactate salt with enriched purity.
• a process for producing magnesium L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste in high purity comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the decomposed organic waste of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium L-lactate salt in high purity.
• a process for producing magnesium L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the decomposed organic waste of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium L-lactate salt.
• the alkaline compound comprises at least one of NaOH, KOH, NH4OH, Ca(OH) 2 , and a mixture or combination thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the alkaline compound comprises a combination of Mg(OH) 2 and/or MgCOa and at least one of NaOH, KOH, NH4OH, Ca(OH) 2 , and a mixture or combination thereof.
• the alkaline compound comprises NH4OH derived from anaerobic digestion of a solid biomass obtained from a previous batch of lactic acid fermentation.
• the NH4OH derived from anaerobic digestion of a solid biomass is obtained by gas stripping.
• the magnesium salt in step (c) is derived from acidification, methylation or acetylation of magnesium L-lactate of a previous batch of lactic acid fermentation. In other embodiments, the magnesium salt in step (c) is derived from acidification, methylation or acetylation of magnesium L-lactate of a previous batch of PLA hydrolysis.
• Figure 1 Schematic representation of a process according to certain embodiments of the present invention.
• Lactate concentration (•) and % D-lactate (x) concentration in a solution during a swap reaction of sodium lactate (NaLa) produced from hydrolyzing PLA grade number 4032D according to certain embodiments of the present invention Lactate concentration (•) and % D-lactate (x) concentration in a solution during a swap reaction of sodium lactate (NaLa) produced from hydrolyzing PLA grade number 4032D according to certain embodiments of the present invention.
• the present invention provides a process for producing magnesium L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste in high enantiomeric purity and reduced amounts of impurities.
• the present invention further provides processes for enriching L-lactate enantiomer from an enantiomeric mixture of D- and L-lactate and enriching the purity of L-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste.
• the high purity magnesium L-lactate salt can further be used for generating new lactic acid-based products.
• lactic acid refers to the hydroxycarboxylic acid having the following chemical formula CH3CH(OH)CO2H.
• lactate unprotonated lactic acid
• enantiomers of lactic acid: L- lactic acid/L-lactate, D-lactic acid/D-lactate, or to a combination thereof.
• enantiomers refers to two stereoisomers of a compound which are non- superimposable mirror images of one another.
• L-lactic acid monomers with high purity are required in order to produce PLA with suitable properties.
• the processes of the present invention are directed, in particular, to the production of L-lactate salts with enriched enantiomeric purity or chiral purity, which can be converted to L-lactic acid suitable for reuse without the necessity to eliminate D-lactate monomers.
• One advantage stemming from the processes of the present invention is enantiomeric enrichment, which is particularly beneficial for reuse of lactic acid.
• the enrichment of L-lactate enantiomer by the process of the invention is at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10% or even more of the initial L-lactate content.
• Each possibility represents a separate embodiment. For example, for an initial enantiomeric mixture containing 90% L-lactate and 10% D-lactate, a 10% enrichment results in magnesium lactate salt containing 99% L-lactate and 1% D-lactate.
• D-lactate content by the process disclosed herein by at least 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or even 100% of the initial D-lactate content.
• Each possibility represents a separate embodiment. For example, for an initial enantiomeric mixture containing 90% L-lactate and 10% D-lactate, a 50% reduction in D-lactate content results in magnesium lactate salt containing 95% L-lactate and 5% D-lactate.
• the obtained magnesium L-lactate crystals according to the principles of the present invention comprise less than 3% magnesium D-lactate, less than 2% magnesium D-lactate, less than 1.5% magnesium D-lactate, or less than 1% magnesium D-lactate.
• An additional advantage stemming from the processes of the present invention is the enrichment in purity of magnesium L-lactate.
• the initial purity of the lactate in the decomposed organic waste is low.
• the present invention provides a purity of at least 80% of the crude magnesium L-lactate formed directly using the process disclosed herein. Additional enrichment in purity can be affected by washing, crystallization or recrystallization processes to yield highly pure magnesium L-lactate salt.
• the decomposed organic waste used in the process disclosed herein is a decomposition product of any lactic acidcontaining waste such as, but not limited to, polylactic acid polymer which was subjected to hydrolysis using an alkaline compound e.g. sodium hydroxide.
• the decomposed organic waste used in the process disclosed herein is obtained from lactic acid fermentation of fermentable carbohydrates such as, but not limited to, those derived from organic waste.
• the organic waste feedstocks within the scope of the present invention can originate from any waste source including, but not limited to, food waste, municipal food waste, residential food waste, agricultural waste, industrial food waste from food processing facilities, commercial food waste (from hospitals, restaurants, shopping centers, airports etc.), and a mixture or combination thereof.
• the organic waste can additionally originate from residues ranging from animal and human excreta, vegetable and fruit residues, plants, cooked food, protein residues, slaughter waste, and combinations thereof.
• Industrial organic food waste may include factory waste such as byproducts, factory rejects (e.g. expired products, defective products), market returns or trimmings of inedible food portions (such as skin, fat, crusts and peels).
• factory waste such as byproducts, factory rejects (e.g. expired products, defective products), market returns or trimmings of inedible food portions (such as skin, fat, crusts and peels).
• Commercial organic food waste may include waste from shopping malls, restaurants, supermarkets, etc.
• Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the organic waste comprises monosaccharides or disaccharides obtained as byproducts of sugar production from beet sugar or cane sugar such as, but not limited to, production of fructose, molasses, or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
• the organic waste comprises starches and starch derivatives such as refined glucose syrups originating from the hydrolysis of starch, which starches may be maize starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, potato starch, and the like. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the organic waste may further be derived from byproducts of wine or beer production such as, but not limited to, yeast autolysates and hydrolysates as well as from plant protein hydrolysates, animal protein hydrolysates, and soluble byproducts from steeping wheat or maize.
• Paper sludge hydrolysate obtained by hydrolyzing paper sludge with cellulolytic enzymes may also be used as well as dairy byproducts generated during cheese production and dairy beverages production of milk-based beverages including e.g. lactose-free beverages.
• the decomposed organic waste comprises a fermentation broth obtained from a fermentation process of a carbohydrate source.
• the decomposed organic waste or fermentation broth typically comprises insoluble organic -based impurities such as, but not limited to, microorganisms (e.g. lactic acid producing microorganisms including e.g. yeasts, bacteria and fungi), fats and oils, lipids, aggregated proteins, bone fragments, hair, precipitated salts, cell debris, fibers (e.g. fruit and/or vegetables peels), and residual unprocessed waste (e.g. food shells, seeds, food insoluble particles and debris, etc.).
• microorganisms e.g. lactic acid producing microorganisms including e.g. yeasts, bacteria and fungi
• fats and oils lipids
• aggregated proteins lipid fragments
• bone fragments lipids
• precipitated salts e.g. fruit and/or vegetables peels
• residual unprocessed waste e.g. food shells
• the decomposed organic waste can further be pre-treated prior to employing the processes of the present invention.
• Suitable pre-treatment includes, but is not limited to, filtration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis (RO) filtration, solvent extraction, repulsive extraction, salt precipitation, crystallization, distillation, evaporation, electrodialysis, and diverse types of chromatography (such as adsorption or ion exchange). Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the decomposed waste may contain various concentrations of D- and L-lactate.
• the processes of the present invention advantageously provide high purity magnesium L- lactate even when the initial concentration of D- and L-lactate monomers is as low as 10%.
• the initial concentration of D- and L-lactate monomers is in the range of about 20% to about 50%, including each value within the specified range.
• the ratio of D- and L-lactate monomers in the decomposed waste may vary according to the endogenous D-lactate content as well as racemic lactic acid formation which occurs during decomposition.
• ratios of D- to L-lactate monomers include, but are not limited, 1:99, 2:98, 3:97, 4:96, 5:95, 6:94, 7:93, 8:92, 9:91, 10:90, 11:89, 12:88, 13:87, 14:86, 15:85, 16:84, 17:83, 18:82, 19:81, or 20:80. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• Figure 1 illustrates an operation scheme for the production of magnesium L-lactate according to certain embodiments of the present invention.
• Lactic acid fermentation is performed.
• Organic waste such as municipal waste, food waste and agricultural waste serves as the substrate for L-lactic acid fermentation by L-lactic acid-producing microorganisms e.g. Bacillus coagulans. Due to the formation of L-lactic acid, endogenous lowering of the pH occurs.
• the fermentation process is carried out in the presence of an alkaline substance to adjust the pH during fermentation.
• the alkaline substance neutralizes the pH resulting in the formation of L-lactate ions and counterions.
• Decomposition of the organic waste typically involves an alkaline substance selected from sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide, to thereby generate sodium, potassium or ammonium counterions, respectively, in the decomposed waste.
• an alkaline substance selected from sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide
• sodium hydroxide results in the formation of sodium lactate with sodium being the counterion
• ammonium hydroxide results in the formation of ammonium lactate with ammonium being the counterion.
• the alkaline substance added to the lactic acid fermentation is ammonia water or aqua ammonia. The use of ammonia water enables the additional recycling of waste that remains after the fermentation process.
• This mode of operation is termed a “counter current” in which the source of the alkaline compound used in one batch production of lactic acid is obtained from a previous batch production of lactic acid.
• the biomass derived from the fermentation can be reused as a side stream (#2: anaerobic fermentable organics & fatty acids).
• anaerobic digestion is performed to produce, as a main product, biogas (primarily methane).
• biogas primarily methane
• the biomass that remained after anaerobic digestion is concentrated, it can be used to generate ammonia water e.g. by gas stripping. The ammonia water can then be used in a subsequent fermentation process to adjust the pH.
• the scheme demonstrates a step of ion exchange or swap of the lactate counterion (NHf 1- ) in the fermentation broth by using e.g. Mg(OH) 2 thereby providing additional ammonia water that can be circulated back to a subsequent fermentation batch.
• Additional use for the biomass that remains following fermentation is for supplementing recycling streams that have low nutrients content such as, but not limited to, paper waste hydrolysates, yeast lysate, and dairy water.
• the decomposed organic waste may optionally be neutralized using an acid or a base as is known in the art.
• neutralization is performed to a pH of about 6.5-7.5 including any value therebetween.
• Suitable acids include, but are not limited to, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• Suitable bases include, but are not limited to, sodium, potassium, or ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the decomposed organic waste contains particles of PLA waste which have failed to be hydrolyzed or non-lactic acid-containing impurities, they may be separated from the decomposed organic waste, for example by solid-liquid separation techniques such as filtration or decantation.
• solid-liquid separation techniques such as filtration or decantation.
• ion swap is then performed by the addition of a magnesium salt to result in the precipitation of magnesium L-lactate salt with enriched overall purity, and enantiomeric purity.
• the ion swap of the present invention can be complete, i.e. the counterion derived from the alkaline substance is other than magnesium, or partial, i.e. two or more alkaline substances are used, one of which contains magnesium ions and the other contains cations other than magnesium.
• the magnesium salt used for the ion swap can be added in solid form or as an aqueous solution. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the aqueous solution contains magnesium ions at a concentration ranging from about 50 to about 500 g/L, including each value within the specified range.
• Exemplary magnesium ion concentrations include, but are not limited to, from about 75 g/L to about 400 g/L, from about 100 g/L to about 300 g/L, or from about 150 g/L to about 250 g/L, including each value within the specified ranges.
• the magnesium salt is gradually added while mixing.
• the magnesium salt is derived from an acidification, methylation or acetylation of a lactate salt from a previous batch.
• the salt is a recycled salt thereby conferring an additional advantage of cost savings.
• the processes of the present invention produce a magnesium lactate salt as the end product.
• the lactate salt may be acidified for polymerization using e.g. hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and a mixture or combination thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the magnesium ions can precipitate together with the anion of the acid to form a magnesium salt which can be used for a subsequent ion swap according to the principles of the present invention.
• lactate salt product undergoes methylation or acetylation, these processes are also typically performed in the presence of an acid thereby leading to the precipitation of a magnesium salt that can be used in a subsequent ion swap process.
• Magnesium salts within the scope of the present invention include, but are not limited to, magnesium chloride, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium hydroxide and the like. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• magnesium sulfate e.g. magnesium sulfate heptahydrate
• the magnesium salt is added in stochiometric amounts. In other aspects and embodiments, the magnesium salt is added in excess. Up to 20% excess of the magnesium salt can be added according to the principles of the present invention.
• Suitable temperatures include a range of 20°C to 80°C, for example about 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, or 80°C.
• Suitable temperatures include a range of 20°C to 80°C, for example about 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, or 80°C.
• Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the thus obtained magnesium L-lactate salt may further be subjected to downstream purification processes.
• One simple purification that has also surprisingly been found to improve the enantiomeric purity of magnesium L-lactate is washing the crude magnesium L-lactate salt, for example using purified water.
• additional purification steps for example, crystallization, recrystallization, partitioning, silica gel chromatography, preparative HPLC, and combinations thereof.
• a reacidification step may also be carried out in order to obtain crude L-lactic acid, followed by purification steps to obtain a purified L-lactic acid.
• Re-acidification can be performed as is known in the art, for example by using at least one of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof.
• Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the purification processes may include extraction, electrodialysis, adsorption, ionexchange, crystallization, and combinations of these methods.
• Several methods are reviewed, for example, in Ghaffar et al. (2014) Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 7(2): 222-229; and Lopez-Garzon et al. (2014) Biotechnol Adv ., 32(5): 873-904.
• recovery and conversion of lactic acid to lactide in a single step may be used (Dusselier et al. (2015) Science, 349(6243): 78-80).
• the solution is provided at a temperature between 55°C to 65°C, including each value within the specified range.
• the concentration of the solution may be performed by evaporation, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, or combinations thereof. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the solution is concentrated to a concentration of 160- 220 g/L of lactate, for example, 170- 220 g/L of lactate, or 180- 220 g/L of lactate, including each value within the specified ranges.
• the at least one cooling crystallization may begin at a first temperature in the range of 50 to 75°C, including each value within the specified range. In some embodiments, the at least one cooling crystallization begins at a first temperature in the range of 50 to 70°C, including each value within the specified range. In additional embodiments, the at least one cooling crystallization begins at a first temperature in the range of 50 to 65°C, including each value within the specified range.
• the at least one cooling crystallization step may end at a second temperature in the range of 10 to 1°C, including each value within the specified range. In some embodiments, the at least one cooling crystallization ends at a second temperature in the range of 6 to 2°C, including each value within the specified range.
• the cooling rate of the at least one cooling crystallization may be in the range of 10 to 0.5°C/h, including each value within the specified range. In some embodiments, the cooling rate is in the range of 5 to l°C/h, including each value within the specified range.
• the pH of the concentrated mixture may be adjusted to be in the range of 6 to 7, including each value therebetween.
• the obtained magnesium lactate crystals may be separated from the remaining liquid by microfiltration or nanofiltration.
• the remaining liquid may undergo concentration, followed by at least one additional cooling crystallization, in order to obtain additional magnesium lactate crystals.
• the magnesium lactate crystals may be washed with an aqueous solution or with an organic solvent such as ethanol or acetone and purified. Further processing of the magnesium lactate crystals may include at least one of extraction, microfiltration, nanofiltration, active carbon treatment, drying and grinding. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment.
• the present invention provides a process for enriching D-lactate enantiomer from an enantiomeric mixture derived from decomposed organic waste, the process comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the enantiomeric mixture of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium D-lactate salt with enriched enantiomeric purity.
• the present invention provides a process for producing magnesium D-lactate salt from decomposed organic waste in high purity, the process comprising the steps of:
• step (c) adding a magnesium salt to the decomposed organic waste of step (a) or (b) to thereby precipitate magnesium D-lactate salt in high purity.
• PLA pellets (IngeoTM Biopolymer 4032D, NatureWorks LLC.) were added to a 250 ml three-necked flask equipped with a condenser and a thermometer. 150 ml of NaOH 5M were added, and the flask was heated to 80°C (pH measured was 13.5).
• the lactate concentration reached 320 g/L with only minor further increase in lactate concentration over time. After 21.5 hours, the lactate concentration stopped increasing (final concentration of 340 g/L) and the reaction was cooled to room temperature.
• PLA residues were filtered using a sintered glass funnel to result in a clear solution.
• the final pH measured was 12.9 which is suitable for additional PLA degradation.
• the solution was neutralized with concentrated H2SO4, then 280 ml of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate solution (300 g/L) were added dropwise while stirring.
• the MgLa2-2H2O precipitate that formed was filtered using a sintered glass funnel, washed with acetone, and dried at 80°C to a final weight of 64 gr.
• the filtrate was added dropwise into 500 ml of acetone while stirring, and then stirred for another hour.
• the precipitate that formed was filtered using a sintered glass funnel, washed with acetone, and dried at 80°C. Yield: 74%.
• PLA (2kg) obtained from 4032D PLA pellets or recycled from cafeteria waste was added to a stirred 5M sodium hydroxide solution (4L) and heated to 90°C until the lactate concentration reached about 30%.
• the solution was allowed to cool down to RT, filtered-off (0.45
• the process of the present invention enhances the enantiomeric purity of lactate by selectively precipitating magnesium L-lactate crystals thus resulting in increased D-lactate concentrations in solution.
• the magnesium lactate obtained by this process is particularly suitable for re-polymerization of the recycled lactate to PLA.
• Ammonium lactate solution either purchased commercially or sourced from a food waste fermentation broth, was brought to an initial concentration of 30% lactate.
• About 250 g of the solution was transferred to a IL three-necked round bottom flask equipped with a condenser and a mechanical stirrer.
• the solution was heated to 70°C and the initial pH of 5.5 was adjusted to 7.2 by the addition of ammonium hydroxide.
• 1.1 molar equiv. of MgSCL was added in 8 equal portions during 1.5h, resulting in precipitation of magnesium lactate.
• the mixture was stirred for another 2h and then filtered using a P3 sintered glass funnel.
• the filtered precipitate was washed with 1 weight eq. of cold water and dried at 70°C.
• the lactate concentration and % of D-lactate were measured separately using HPLC. The results are summarized in Tables 2A-2B.
• Ammonium lactate solution sourced from a food waste fermentation broth, was brought to a starting concentration of 29% lactate. About 250 g of the solution were transferred to a IL three-necked round bottom flask equipped with a condenser and a mechanical stirrer. The solution was heated to 70°C and the initial pH of 5.7 was adjusted to 7.3 by the addition of ammonium hydroxide. 1.1 molar equiv. of MgSCU was added in 8 equal portions during 1.5h, resulting in precipitation of magnesium lactate. The mixture was stirred for another 4h and then filtered using a P3 sintered glass funnel. The filtered precipitate was washed with 1 weight eq. of cold water and dried at 70°C.
• the magnesium lactate crystals following re-crystallization contain less than 1% D-lactate and are therefore particularly suitable for reuse in the formation of new poly lactic acid.

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