Sustainable Conversion of Biomass-derived Carbohydrates into Lactic Acid Using Heterogeneous Catalysts

Abstract

Over the past decade, increasing attention has been paid to the exploration of environmentalfriendly and alternative resources to prepare basic chemicals for relieving the stress of fossil resources and environmental issues. Lactic acid (LA, 2-hydroxypropanoic acid), the biomass-derived platform molecule, has been used intensively in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Considering the fermentation method for lactic acid production possesses environmental impact and high-cost issues, chemocatalytic approaches to manufacturing LA from biomass have attracted much attention due to higher selectivities and lower costs. This paper emphasizes a review on the state-of-the-art production of LA from triose, hexose, cellulose and other biomass over heterogeneous acidic and alkaline catalysts.