Abstract
Various processes which produce L-lactic acid using ammonia-tolerant mutant strain, Rhizopus sp. MK-96-1196, in a 3L airlift bioreactor were evaluated. When the fed-batch culture was carried out by keeping the glucose concentration at 30g/L, more than 140 g/L of L-lactic acid was produced with a product yield of 83%. In the case of the batch culture with 200g/L of initial glucose concentration, 121g/L of L-lactic acid was obtained but the low product yield based on the amount of glucose consumed. In the case of a continuous culture, 1.5g/L/h of the volumetric productivity with a product yield of 71% was achieved at dilution rate of $0.024\;h^{-1}$. Basis on these results three processes were evaluated by simple variable cost estimation including carbon source, steam, and waste treatment costs. The total variable costs of the fed-batch and continuous cultures were 88% and 140%, respectively, compared to that of batch culture. The fed-batch culture with high L-lactic acid concentration and high product yield decreased variable costs, and was the best-suited for the industrial production of L-lactic acid.