First proof of concept of sustainable metabolite production from high solids fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass using a bacterial co-culture and cycling flush system

Wanying Yao, Sue E. Nokes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

To improve the lignocellulose conversion for ABE in high solids fermentation, this study explored the feasibility of cycling the process through the cellulolytic or/and solventogenic phases via intermittent flushing of the fermentation media. Five different flushing strategies (varying medium ingredients, inoculum supplement and cycling through phases) were investigated. Flushing regularly throughout the cellulolytic phase is necessary because re-incubation at 65. °C significantly improved glucose availability by at least 6-fold. The solvents accumulation was increased by 4-fold using corn stover (3-fold using miscanthus) over that produced by flushing only through the solventogenic phase. In addition, cycling process was simplified by re-incubating the flushed cellulolytic phase with no re-inoculation because the initial inoculum of Clostridium thermocellum remained viable throughout sequential co-culture. This study served as the first proof of the cycling flush system applied in co-cultural SSC and the knowledge gained can be used to design a farm-scale flushing system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)216-223
Number of pages8
JournalBioresource Technology
Volume173
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Funding

The authors sincerely acknowledge the financial support of the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture Biomass Research and Development Initiative Grant #2011-10006-30363 . The investigation reported in this paper (No. 14-05-055) is a part of a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with the approval of the director. We are also eternally grateful to the staff member Manish Kulshrestha for his technical support.

FundersFunder number
United States Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture Biomass Research and Development Initiative2011-10006-30363

    Keywords

    • ABE fermentation
    • Bacterial co-culture
    • Cellulolytic and solventogenic phases
    • Periodical flush
    • Solids substrate cultivation

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Bioengineering
    • Environmental Engineering
    • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
    • Waste Management and Disposal

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