Economic and Environmental Potential of The Green Production of Acetic Acid from Cheese Whey

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the economic and environmental consequences of employing cheese whey as a renewable source of carbon for acetic acid production. Through the use of eco-friendly production techniques, this strategy not only presents profitable business prospects but also addresses the environmental concerns related to whey disposal. By thoroughly examining the most recent studies, this article emphasizes the substantial economic and environmental advantages of embracing this sustainable approach for the production of acetic acid. Modeling and simulation of the continuous direct production of acetic acid in a hybrid reactor system with a two-stage membrane were successfully carried out. The overall production and purification process involves fermenting a low-cost and renewable carbon source such as whey under a non-neutralizing regime in an integrated membrane reactor with downstream separation regulations. This process also includes the recovery of microbial cells and unconverted carbon sources from acetic acid products through microfiltration and nanofiltration membranes.

Keywords:

Green production , acetic acid , cheese whey , sustainability , waste management