Microbial production of Propionic and Succinic acid from Sorbitol using Propionibacterium acidipropionici

• Published in: AMB Express 2015-02, Vol.5 (1), p.13-13, Article 13
• Main Authors: Duarte, Juliana C, Valença, Gustavo P, Moran, Paulo J S, Rodrigues, J Augusto R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Life Sciences; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Original; Original Article
• ISSN: 2191-0855; 2191-0855
• DOI: 10.1186/s13568-015-0095-6

Three sequential fermentative batches were carried out with cell recycle in four simultaneously operating bioreactors maintained at pH 6.5, 30°C, and 100 rpm. P. acidipropionici ATCC 4875 was able to produce propionic and succinic acid from sorbitol. The concentration of propionic acid decreased slightly from 39.5 ± 5.2 g L −1 to 34.4 ± 1.9 g L −1 , and that of succinic acid increased significantly from 6.1 ± 2.1 g L −1 to 14.8 ± 0.9 g L −1 through the sequential batches. In addition, a small amount of acetic acid was produced that decreased from 3.3 ± 0.4 g L −1 to 2.0 ± 0.3 g L −1 through the batches. The major yield for propionic acid was 0.613 g g −1 in the first batch and succinic acid it was 0.212 g g −1 in the third batch. The minor yield of acetic acid was 0.029 g g −1 , in the second and third batches.