Sunday, May 3, 2009
3-93

Bioconverting the nutrients in dairy manure for L-lactic acid production by Rhizopus oryzae

Wanying Yao1, Jun Zhu1, Curtis Miller1, and Bo Sun2. (1) Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1390 Eckles Avenue, St Paul, MN 55108, (2) Food College, NorthEast Agricultural University, MUCAI Street No.59, Harbin, 150030, China

In this study, dairy manure as a nitrogen source was evaluated for L-lactic acid fermentation by Rhizopus oryzae. (NH4)2SO4 in culture media was replaced with the purified crude protein from dairy manure (appropriate nitrogen concentration was 0.42 g/L for Rhizopus oryzae based on (NH4)2SO4). Six levels of nitrogen were used, 0.21 g/L, 0.42 g/L, 0.84 g/L, 1.68 g/L, 2.52 g/L, and 3.36 g/L and the results showed that the corresponding L-lactic acid yields were 6.48 g/L, 14.73 g/L, 38.33 g/L, 55.7 g/L, 54.9 g/L, and 54.1 g/L, while it was 57g/L for control. To improve the utilization rate, crude protein hydrolysis was also studied. Results showed that the greatest hydrolysis degree (DH, 48.9%) was achieved at 0.06 g Alcalase/g of protein, pH 8.0, 53°C for 240 min. Six levels of diluted hydrolysates (same as above) were experimented and 55.9 g/L L-lactic acid was obtained using the hydrolyzed protein at 0.42 g/L and ≥ DH 33.8%. A uniform design (U6 (62×3)) was applied to optimize seed culture using three factors (nitrogen and spore concentration, treatment durations). It was observed that diameter of the seed pellet was 1.03 ± 0.12 mm after 20 hours incubation with optimal medium containing 1.68 g/L nitrogen and 1 ×106 spore/mL. A second uniform design (U8 (85)) with five factors (glucose, nitrogen in dairy manure, ZnSO4, KH2PO4 and MgSO4) was also experimented to optimize flask culture, showing lactic acid yield was 60.5% by weight, 8% higher than the control.