Open AccessEvaluation of small organic acids present in fast pyrolysis bio‐oil from lignocellulose as feedstocks for bacterial bioconversion
Author(s) -
Arnold Stefanie,
Tews Tatjana,
Kiefer Manuel,
Henkel Marius,
Hausmann Rudolf
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
gcb bioenergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.378
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1757-1707
pISSN - 1757-1693
DOI - 10.1111/gcbb.12623
Subject(s) - bioconversion , lignocellulosic biomass , pseudomonas putida , biomass (ecology) , chemistry , corynebacterium glutamicum , pseudomonas fluorescens , biofuel , fermentation , pulp and paper industry , food science , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , organic chemistry , biology , biochemistry , agronomy , enzyme , genetics , gene , engineering
Small organic acids derived from fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass represent a significant proportion of microbially accessible carbon in bio‐oil. However, using bio‐oil for microbial cultivation is a highly challenging task due to its strong adverse effects on microbial growth as well as its complex composition. In this study, the main small organic acids present in bio‐oil as acetate, formate and propionate were evaluated with respect to their suitability as feedstocks for bacterial growth. For this purpose, the growth behavior of four biotechnological production hosts— Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas putida , Bacillus subtilis , and Corynebacterium glutamicum —was quantified and compared. The bacteria were cultivated on single acids and mixtures of acids in different concentrations and evaluated using common biotechnological efficiency parameters. In addition, cultivation experiments on pretreated fast pyrolysis‐derived bio‐oil fractions were performed with respect to the suitability of the bacterial strains to tolerate inhibitory substances. Results suggest that both P. putida and C. glutamicum metabolize acetate—the major small organic acid generated during fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass—as sole carbon source over a wide concentration range, are able to grow on mixtures of small organic acids present in bio‐oil and can, to a limited extent, tolerate the highly toxic inhibitory substances within bio‐oil. This work provides an important step in search of suitable bacterial strains for bioconversion of lignocellulosic‐based feedstocks and thus contributes to establishing efficient bioprocesses within a future bioeconomy.