Rhodotorula kratochvilovae outperforms Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum in the valorisation of lignocellulosic wastewater to microbial oil

• Published in: Process biochemistry (1991) 2024-02, Vol.137, p.229-238
• Main Authors: Broos, Waut, Wittner, Nikolett, Dries, Jan, Vlaeminck, Siegfried E., Gunde-Cimerman, Nina, Cornet, Iris
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Lignocellulose; Lipids; Oleaginous yeast; Phenol; Phenolics; Wastewater
• ISSN: 1359-5113; 1873-3298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2024.01.009

Rhodotorula kratochvilovae has shown to be a promising species for microbial oil production from lignin-derived compounds. Yet, information on R. kratochvilovae’s detoxification and microbial oil production is scarce. This study investigated the growth and microbial oil production on the phenolic-containing effluent from poplar steam explosion and its detoxification with five R. kratochvilovae strains (EXF11626, EXF9590, EXF7516, EXF3697, EXF3471) and compared them with Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum. The R. kratochvilovae strains reached a maximum growth rate up to four times higher than C. oleaginosum. Furthermore, all R. kratochvilovae strains generally degraded phenolics more rapidly and to a larger extent than C. oleaginosum. However, the diluted substrate limited the lipid production by all strains as the maximum lipid content and titre were 10.5% CDW and 0.40 g/L, respectively. [Display omitted] •All R. kratochvilovae strains are preferred to C. oleaginosum for detoxification.•R. kratochvilovae strains grow rapidly on lignocellulosic effluent.•R. kratochvilovae strains removed at least 91% of the phenolics after seven days.•The yeasts produced mainly unsaturated fatty acids on the effluent.