The effect of different carbon sources on biobutanol production using clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum Nl-4

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of various carbohydrate sources on the production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) via microbial fermentation using Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum Nl-4 (ATCC 13564). The anaerobic batch fermentation was conducted in 250 m L -1 Schott (Duran) bottles with working volume of 150 m L -1 using different carbon sources supplemented with P2 medium or tryptone-yeast extract-acetate medium (TYA). The results showed that C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum Nl-4 could utilize various carbohydrates. Out of five carbon sources tested, glucose showed the best results. A concentration of 50 g L -1 of glucose in the medium produced 13.61 g L -1 of ABE containing 8.69 g L -1 of biobutanol (63.8%). Regardless of the carbon source, P2 medium produced higher biobutanol concentration compared to TYA medium. A 15 g L -1 addition of butanol in the medium totally inhibited the growth of C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum Nl -4 indicating a critical concentration of biobutanol achievable is 15 g L -1. The ability of C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum Nl-4 to utilize various carbohydrates makes agro-industrial wastes to be a cheap substrate for biobutanol production. © 2011 Asian Network for Scientific Information.