The utilization of second generation feedstocks for the production of platform chemicals by filamentous fungi
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The depletion of petroleum and other platform chemical resources are a global concern; \ntherefore alternative substrates must be identified to replace these current sources. Thus \nallowing research in fungal biotechnology to prosper, as filamentous fungi can utilize \nsecond-generation feedstocks or agricultural waste to produce these petroleum derived \nplatform chemicals. This research focuses on the ability of filamentous fungi to use \ndifferent second-generation feedstocks such as wheat bran and sugar cane bagasse to \ngenerate platform chemicals of interest, namely being itaconic acid (IA) and other \norganic acids of interest, such as citric acid. This study focused on the metabolite \nproducing capabilities of Aspergillus terreus, initially in a shake flask fermentation \nenvironment and then in an Airlift Bioreactor environment utilizing hydrolyzed wheat \nbran and sugar cane bagasse as a substrate source to produce metabolites of interest. The \ninitial shake flask fermentation experiment involved inoculation and incubating A. \nterreus in hydrolyzed wheat bran with additional minerals at 30°C for 5 days at a pH \nrange of between 3-4. The result yielded itaconic acid and citric acid concentrations of \n1.01g/l and 6.23g/l at their peaks, respectively. The airlift bioreactor was run for 16 days \nwith a constant pH range between 3-4, at a temperature of 30°C with a dissolved oxygen \nlevel of 20g/l. The result of the study yielded a high itaconic acid and citric acid \nconcentration peaking at 59.4 g/l and 59.2 g/l, respectively.
Author: Ziyi Hu
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2230496077