ORGANIC ACIDS AND THEIR PRODUCTION_20250312_102120_0000.pdf

Title: Organic Acids
Organic acids are carbon-based compounds that contain acidic properties, usually due to the presence of a carboxyl (-COOH) group. They are commonly found in nature and play vital roles in biological and industrial processes.
Characteristics:
Contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (sometimes other elements).
Typically weak acids compared to inorganic acids.
Soluble in water to varying degrees.
Can be naturally occurring (e.g., in fruits, vegetables, and body metabolism) or synthetically produced.Common Examples:
Acetic Acid (CH₃COOH) – Found in vinegar, used in food preservation.
Citric Acid (C₆H₈O₇) – Present in citrus fruits, used as a preservative and flavor enhancer.
Lactic Acid (C₃H₆O₃) – Produced in muscles during exercise, used in food and cosmetics.
Formic Acid (HCOOH) – Found in ant stings, used in leather tanning.
Oxalic Acid (C₂H₂O₄) – Found in spinach, used in cleaning agents.
Applications:
Food Industry: Preservatives, flavor enhancers, acidulants.
Pharmaceuticals: Used in medicine formulations.
Agriculture: Plant growth regulators and pesticides.
Industrial Uses: Textile, leather, and chemical manufacturing.

1. Organic Acid Production

2. Organic acids are carbon-based compounds with weak
acidic properties.
They occur naturally in plants, animals, and
microorganisms.
Common examples include citric acid, lactic acid, acetic
acid, and gluconic acid.
Production Methods:
Microbial Fermentation (e.g., citric acid, lactic acid).
Chemical Synthesis (e.g., acetic acid, formic acid).
They serve as preservatives, acidulants, antioxidants, and
precursors for other chemicals.
INTRODUCTION

3. Based on Source:
Natural Organic Acids – Found in plants and animals (e.g.,
citric acid in citrus fruits).
Microbial Organic Acids – Produced by bacteria, fungi, and
yeasts (e.g., lactic acid by Lactobacillus).
Synthetic Organic Acids – Chemically synthesized (e.g.,
acetic acid from methanol oxidation).
Based on Chemical Structure:
Carboxylic Acids (e.g., acetic acid, citric acid)
Dicarboxylic & Tricarboxylic Acids (e.g., oxalic acid, citric
acid)
CLASSIFICATION
OF ORGANIC ACIDS

4. Citric Acid – Used in food, pharmaceuticals, and
cosmetics.
1.
Lactic Acid – Used in food, biodegradable plastics, and
medicine.
2.
Acetic Acid – Main component of vinegar and used in the
textile industry.
3.
Gluconic Acid – Used in pharmaceuticals and cleaning
products.
4.
Itaconic Acid – Used in bioplastics and coatings.5.
Succinic Acid – Used in bio-based plastics and surfactants.6.
Formic Acid – Used in agriculture and textile industries.7.
Oxalic Acid – Used in metal cleaning and bleaching.8.
ORGANIC ACIDS
AND SIGNIFICANCE

5. Certain microorganisms ferment sugars to produce
organic acids.
Examples of microbes used:
Aspergillus niger → Citric Acid
Lactobacillus spp. → Lactic Acid
Gluconobacter → Gluconic Acid
Fermentation is a sustainable method compared to
chemical synthesis.
MICROBIAL PRODUCTION
OF ORGANIC ACIDS

6. Microorganisms grow in liquid culture.
Suitable for citric acid and lactic acid production.
Used in large-scale bioreactors.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
METHODS
Submerged Fermentation (SmF):
Uses solid materials as a substrate (e.g., agricultural
waste).
More economical but difficult to scale.
Used for oxalic acid, gluconic acid production.
Solid-State Fermentation (SSF):

7. Microorganism Used: Aspergillus niger (fungus).
Substrate: Molasses, glucose, sucrose.
Production Process:
Fermentation: A. niger ferments sugars under
controlled pH.
Filtration: The fungal biomass is removed.
Precipitation: Calcium hydroxide is added to form
calcium citrate.
Acidification: Calcium citrate is treated with sulfuric
acid to release citric acid.
Crystallization & Drying: Final purification.
Applications: Food (acidulant, preservative),
pharmaceuticals, detergents, cosmetics.
CITRIC ACID PRODUCTION

8. Microorganism Used: Lactobacillus spp.
Substrate: Corn starch, molasses, whey.
Production Process:
Fermentation: Lactobacillus converts glucose into lactic
acid.
Filtration: Removes microbial biomass.
Purification: Through calcium lactate precipitation or
membrane filtration.
Applications:
Food (yogurt, fermented products).
Pharmaceuticals (lactic acid-based creams).
Bioplastics (polylactic acid - PLA).
LACTIC ACID PRODUCTION

9. Microorganism Used: Acetobacter aceti.
Substrate: Ethanol, glucose.
Production Process:
Oxidation: Ethanol is converted to acetic acid by
Acetobacter aceti.
Filtration & Concentration: Removing impurities and
concentrating acetic acid.
Purification: Final refinement.
Applications:
Vinegar production.
Textile and dye industries.
Synthetic fiber production (cellulose acetate).
ACETIC ACID PRODUCTION

10. Microorganism Used: Aspergillus niger, Gluconobacter.
Substrate: Glucose, starch.
Production Process:
Enzymatic oxidation of glucose by glucose oxidase.
Conversion into gluconic acid with mild aeration.
Filtration and purification using ion-exchange resins.
Applications:
Pharmaceuticals (used in calcium supplements).
Cleaning agents (chelating agent in detergents).
GLUCONIC ACID
PRODUCTION

11. Formic Acid:
Produced by: Oxidation of methanol or microbial
fermentation.
Applications: Used in agriculture (preserving animal
feed), leather processing, and textiles.
Oxalic Acid:
Produced by: Fungal fermentation using Aspergillus
niger.
Applications: Used for metal cleaning, bleaching agents,
and rust removal.
FORMIC & OXALIC
ACID PRODUCTION

12. Microorganism Used: Actinobacillus succinogenes,
Escherichia coli.
Substrate: Corn syrup, molasses.
Production Process:
Fermentation using bacteria in anaerobic conditions.
Filtration and acidification to remove bacterial cells.
Purification by crystallization or solvent extraction.
Applications:
Biodegradable plastics.
Pharmaceutical intermediates.
Food additives (acidulant, preservative).
SUCCINIC ACID
PRODUCTION

13. Microorganism Used: Aspergillus terreus.
Substrate: Glucose, sucrose.
Production Process:
Fermentation by A. terreus in a bioreactor.
Separation of fungal biomass from the fermentation
broth.
Purification by crystallization or solvent extraction.
Applications:
Bioplastics and bio-based resins.
Adhesives, coatings, and textile fibers.
ITACONIC ACID
PRODUCTION

14. Food & Beverage Industry1.
Citric Acid → Acidulant, preservative.
Lactic Acid → Fermented dairy products.
Acetic Acid → Vinegar, pickling.
Pharmaceuticals & Medicine2.
Lactic Acid → Wound healing, cosmetics.
Gluconic Acid → Calcium supplements.
Succinic Acid → Drug intermediates.
Bioplastics & Green Industry3.
Polylactic Acid (PLA) from lactic acid → Used in
packaging.
Itaconic & Succinic Acids → Biodegradable materials.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

15. ✅ Advantages:
Uses renewable resources (sugars, starches).
Environmentally friendly (low pollution).
Cost-effective compared to petroleum-based chemicals.
❌ Challenges:
High fermentation costs.
Difficulties in scaling up production.
Complex purification and downstream processing.
ADVANTAGES & CHALLENGES
IN PRODUCTION

16. Organic acids are essential for food, pharmaceuticals, and
green industries.
Microbial fermentation provides a sustainable alternative
to chemical synthesis.
Future focus: Genetic engineering and bioreactor
optimization for higher yields.
Growing demand for bio-based acids in biodegradable
plastics and sustainable materials.
CONCLUSION

17. THANK YOU