Title: Recovery of Lactose from Aqueous Solution Using Group IIA Metal Chlorides and Sodium Hydroxide
Abstract: ABSTRACT Recovery of lactose from 5% (w/v) aqueous solutions using strontium, magnesium, and calcium chlorides and sodium hydroxide as precipitating agents was investigated. The effects of sodium hydroxide to metal ion and metal ion to lactose molar ratios, temperature, time and order of addition of reagents were examined. Maximum recoveries were: 26% for strontium, 55% for magnesium and 97% for calcium. Recovery data were analyzed by multiple, nonlinear regression and response surface methodology to obtain plots of the relationship between the variables. Lactose recovery with metal hydroxides appears to involve a complexation process, and is not strictly an adsorptive process.