Abstract
Bioconversion of lignocellulosic hydrolysates to ethanol is a promising solution to energy from renewable non-food sources. While utilisation of all sugars in these hydrolysates by Zymomonas mobilis has been facilitated through genetic modification of this organism, and molecular biology and fermenting capabilities of xylose-utilising Z. mobilis recombinants have been extensively documented, there is considerably less information on fundamental process optimisation and intensification studies to maximise these organisms’ potential so that the advances in molecular biology can be fully realised. In this study, process optimisation using the Z. mobilis 8b recombinant has been conducted by optimising both the process conditions and the process strategy, and process intensification has been examined by coupling a membrane filtration unit to a continuous process. Optimum process conditions on glucose–xylose substrates were quantified as 33.5 °C and pH 6.5 using multiple response optimisation. Under these optimum operating conditions, Z. mobilis 8b exhibited both a superior ethanol yield (94%) and ethanol productivity (1.43 gL−1 h−1) during batch culture on 100 gL−1 sugar (glucose = xylose) when compared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Continuous operation of the Z. mobilis 8b culture under the optimum conditions enhanced ethanol productivity fivefold to 6.74 gL−1 h−1, the highest yet reported. Importantly, significant enhancement in ethanol productivity (threefold) was also achieved during continuous operation at dilution rates below 0.15 h−1, whilst maintaining the ethanol concentration above the threshold for cost-effective distillation. Cell separation and recycling was facilitated via a membrane unit for process intensification.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Chander, R., Gupta, R., Pal, Y., Singh, A., & Zhang, Y. P. (2011). Bioethanol production from pentose sugars: Current status and future prospects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 4950–4962.
Grahovac, J., Dodić, J., Jokić, A., Dodić, S., & Popov, S. (2012). Optimization of ethanol production from thick juice: A response surface methodology approach. Fuel, 93, 221–228.
Gunasekaran, P., & Chandra, R. K. (1999). Ethanol fermentation technology. Current Science, 77, 56–69.
Hahn-Hägerdal, B., Karhumaa, K., Fonseca, C., Spencer-Martins, I., & Gorwa-Grauslund, M. F. (2007). Towards industrial pentose-fermenting yeast strains. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 74, 937–953.
Joachimsthal, E. L., & Rogers, P. L. (2000). Characterisation of a high-productivity recombinant strain of Zymomonas mobilis for ethanol production from glucose/xylose mixtures. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 84–86, 343–356.
Karsch, T., Stahl, U., & Esser, K. (1983). Ethanol production by Zymomonas and Saccharomyces, advantages and disadvantages known. European Journal of Applied Microbiology, 18, 387–391.
Lau, M. W., & Dale, B. E. (2009). Cellulosic ethanol production from AFEX-treated corn stover using Saccharomyces cerevisiae 424A (LNH-ST). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 106, 1368–1373.
Lawford, H. G., Rousseau, J. D., Mohagheghi, A., & McMillan, J. D. (1998). Continuous culture studies of xylose-fermenting Zymomonas mobilis. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 70–72, 353–367.
Lawson, J., & Erjavec, J. (2000). Response surface methodology, modern statistics for engineering and quality improvement (p. 465). Duxbury: Duxbury Press.
Lynd, L. R., Laser, M. S., Bransby, D., Dale, B. E., Davison, B., Hamilton, R., et al. (2008). How biotech can transform biofuels. Nature Biotechnology, 26, 169–172.
Menon, V., & Rao, M. (2012). Trends in bioconversion of lignocellulose: Biofuels, platform chemicals & biorefinery concept. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 38, 522–550.
Mohagheghi, A., Evans, K., Finkelstein, N., & Zhang, M. (1998). Cofermentation of glucose, xylose, and arabinose by mixed cultures of two genetically engineered Zymomonas mobilis strains. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 70–72, 285–299.
Rogers, P. L., & Joachimsthal, E. L. (2000). Characterization of a high-productivity recombinant strain of Zymomonas mobilis for ethanol production from glucose/xylose mixtures. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 84, 343–356.
Rogers, P. L., Joachimsthal, E. L., & Haggett, K. D. (1999). Evaluation of recombinant strains of Zymomonas mobilis for ethanol production from glucose/xylose media. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 77, 147–157.
Rogers, P. L., Kim, I. S., & Barrow, K. D. (2000). Kinetic and nuclear magnetic resonance studies of xylose metabolism by recombinant Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 (pZB5). Applied and Environment Microbiology, 66, 186–193.
Rogers, P. L., Lee, K. J., & Skotnicki, M. L. (1981). The effect of temperature on the kinetics of ethanol production by strains of Zymomonas mobilis. Biotechnology Letters, 3, 291–296.
Swings, J., & De Ley, J. (1977). The biology of Zymomonas. Bacteriological Reviews, 41, 1–46.
Van Rensburg, E., Gorgens, J. F., & Diedericks, D. (2013). Enhancing sugar recovery from sugarcane bagasse by kinetic analysis of a two-step dilute acid pretreatment process. Biomass and Bioenergy, 7, 149–160.
Zacchi, G., & Axelsson, A. (1989). Economic evaluation of preconcentration in production of ethanol from dilute sugar solutions. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 34, 223–233.
Zhang, M., Chou, Y.-C., Howe, W., Eddy, C., Evans, K., & Mohagheghi, A. (2007). Zymomonas pentose-sugar fermenting strains and uses thereof. US patent 7223575B2.
Zhang, M., Eddy, C., Deanda, K., Finkelstein, M., & Picataggio, S. (1995). Metabolic engineering of a pentose metabolism pathway in ethanologenic Zymomonas mobilis. Science, 267, 240–243.
Acknowledgements
The (DST-NRF) Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change), South Africa (SA), and Stellenbosch University, SA, are acknowledged for funding this research. The Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, SA, is thanked for providing bursary funding for TM. Thanks also to Manda Rossouw for conducting the HPLC analyses.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Clarke, K.G., Mokomele, T., Callanan, L.H., Groenewald, J. (2018). Zymomonas mobilis—Towards Bacterial Biofuel. In: Leal Filho, W., Surroop, D. (eds) The Nexus: Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63612-2_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63612-2_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-63611-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-63612-2
eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)