Monday, May 5, 2008
9-18

Effects of neutralising agent, organic acids, and osmolarity on succinic acid production by Escherichia coli AFP184

Christian Andersson, Jonas Helmerius, David Hodge, Kris A. Berglund, and Ulrika Rova. Biochemical and Chemical Process Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, 971 87, Sweden

Using a low-cost medium Escherichia coli AFP184 has previously been reported to produce succinic acid with volumetric productivities close to 3 g L-1 h-1. At a total organic acid concentration of 30 g L-1 the productivity decreased drastically resulting in final succinate concentrations of 40 g L-1. The economical viability of biochemical succinic acid production would benefit from higher final succinic acid concentrations and volumetric productivities maintained at >2.5 g L-1 h-1 for an extended period of time. In the present work the effects of osmolarity and neutralising agent (NH4OH, KOH, NaOH, K2CO3, and Na2CO3) on succinic acid production by AFP184 were investigated. Highest concentration of succinic acid was obtained with Na2CO3, 75 g L-1. It was also found that the osmolarity resulting from succinate production and subsequent base addition, only marginally affected the productivity per viable cell. Organic acid inhibition due to the produced succinic acid on the other hand significantly reduced succinic acid productivity per viable cell. When using NH4OH productivity completely ceased at approximately 40 g L-1. Volumetric productivities remained at 2.5 g L-1 h-1 for 5 to 10 hours longer when using K- or Na-bases than when using NH4OH. However, loss of cell viability occurred, and together with the acid inhibition decreased the volumetric productivities. In this study it was demonstrated that by altering the neutralising agent it was possible to increase the period of high volumetric productivity in the anaerobic phase and improve the final succinic acid concentration by almost 100 %.

See more of Poster Session Two
See more of General Submissions

See more of The 30th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (May 4 -- 7, 2008)