Lactic Acid

Synonyms: 2-Hydroxypropionic acid

Chemical formula: СНзСНОНСООН

International name: LACTIC ACID

CAS No.: 79-33-4

Grade: import, China, food

Appearance: clear liquid with yellowish tint

Lactic acid is a whitish slightly yellowish hygroscopic syrupy liquid with an acescent odor. It is soluble in water, ethanol, very slightly soluble in benzene, chloroform and other halocarbons. In the presence of mineral acids, lactic acid self-esterification occurs forming cyclic dilactide as well as linear polylactides.

Production

In industry, lactic acid (2-hydroxypropionic acid) is produced by hydrolysis of 2-chloropropionic acid and its salts (100°C) or lactonitrile followed by ester formation, release and hydrolysis of which results in a high quality product. Other methods of producing lactic acid, e.g. propylene oxidation with nitrogen oxides, are known (15-20°C) followed by H2SO4 treatment; CH3CHO interaction with СО (200°C, 20 MPa).

Application

Lactic acid is used as follows:

• in food industry, in production of soft drinks, high-boiled masses, fermented milk products, etc.
• in mordant dyeing, in leather production,
• in fermentation plants as an antibacterial agent to produce drug products, plasticizers.

Recently, using lactic acid for polylactide synthesis – biodegradated (being decomposed in nature in real time) polymers capable of substituting synthetic polymers (polyethylene, polyprolylene, PET, etc.) is gaining greater applicability.