Method for producing glycolic acid

摘要

Provided is a production method of glycolic acid having a first step of preparing glycolonitrile from formaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid and a second step of hydrolyzing the glycolonitrile into glycolic acid directly or via a glycolate salt, which method comprises storing the glycolonitrile obtained in the first step at pH 4 or less and carrying out a hydrolysis reaction of the second step at from pH 5 to 9.