A process for removing lactic acid from an aqueous lactic acid-containing magnesium chloride solution, the weight ratio of magnesium chloride to lactic acid in the aqueous lactic acid-containing magnesium chloride solution being at least 1:1, the process including the steps of subjecting the aqueous lactic acid-containing magnesium chloride solution to an evaporation step, resulting in the formation of a slurry of MgC12.MgL2.4H2O in an aqueous magnesium chloride solution, then subjecting the slurry to a solid-liquid separation step, to separate the solid MgC12.MgL2.4H2O from the aqueous magnesium chloride solution, resulting in the removal of lactic acid from the aqueous lactic acid-containing magnesium chloride solution in the form of MgC12.MgL2.4H2O. The process makes it possible to efficiently remove lactic acid from aqueous lactic acid-containing magnesium chloride solutions, resulting in magnesium chloride solutions with a low lactic acid content which can be further processed as desired.

The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline-earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline-earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline-earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

A transport medium is disclosed that can be utilized for both sample collection and molecular diagnostic applications. The transport medium can be utilized with multiple types of biological samples and maintains the stability of nucleic acid present in the biological samples so that one or more nucleic acid assay target(s) present in the biological sample is not substantially degraded during storage and shipping. Also disclosed are kits containing the transport medium, mixtures that include a biological sample disposed in the transport medium, and methods of producing and using the medium.

A transport medium is disclosed that can be utilized for both sample collection and molecular diagnostic applications. The transport medium can be utilized with multiple types of biological samples and maintains the stability of nucleic acid present in the biological samples so that one or more nucleic acid assay target(s) present in the biological sample is not substantially degraded during storage and shipping. Also disclosed are kits containing the transport medium, mixtures that include a biological sample disposed in the transport medium, and methods of producing and using the medium.

The concerns a process for producing formic acid, (a) a carbon capture step in which a source of carbon dioxide is contacted with an amine solution in an amine scrubber, to obtain an ammonium bicarbonate solution, where the carbon capture uses a chilled amine solution having a temperature in the range of 0-20 ° C.; (b) inducing crystallization in the ammonium bicarbonate solution to obtain a concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution; (c) subjecting the concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution to a hydrogenation step to obtain an ammonium formate; and (d) heating the ammonium formate to a temperature in the range of 50-150 ° C., to obtain a gaseous product containing the amine and a liquid product stream containing formic acid. The application further concerns a system for performing the process.

The concerns a process for producing formic acid, (a) a carbon capture step in which a source of carbon dioxide is contacted with an amine solution in an amine scrubber, to obtain an ammonium bicarbonate solution, where the carbon capture uses a chilled amine solution having a temperature in the range of 0-20 ° C.; (b) inducing crystallization in the ammonium bicarbonate solution to obtain a concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution; (c) subjecting the concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution to a hydrogenation step to obtain an ammonium formate; and (d) heating the ammonium formate to a temperature in the range of 50-150 ° C., to obtain a gaseous product containing the amine and a liquid product stream containing formic acid. The application further concerns a system for performing the process.

The concerns a process for producing formic acid, (a) a carbon capture step in which a source of carbon dioxide is contacted with an amine solution in an amine scrubber, to obtain an ammonium bicarbonate solution, where the carbon capture uses a chilled amine solution having a temperature in the range of 0-20 ° C.; (b) inducing crystallization in the ammonium bicarbonate solution to obtain a concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution; (c) subjecting the concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution to a hydrogenation step to obtain an ammonium formate; and (d) heating the ammonium formate to a temperature in the range of 50-150 ° C., to obtain a gaseous product containing the amine and a liquid product stream containing formic acid. The application further concerns a system for performing the process.

A fermentation process for producing magnesium lactate from a carbon source including the steps of: providing a fermentation medium including a fermentable carbon source in a fermentation reactor; fermenting the fermentation medium by a lactic acid producing microorganism in the presence of an alkaline magnesium salt to provide a fermentation broth including magnesium lactate; and recovering solid magnesium lactate from the magnesium lactate containing fermentation broth, wherein during at least 40% of the operating time of the fermentation process, the concentration of solid magnesium lactate in the fermentation broth is maintained in the range of 5-40 vol. %, calculated as solid magnesium lactate crystals on the total of the fermentation broth. The process allows stable operation at high productivity, in combination with efficient product separation.