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Fermentation
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Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and...
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Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Industrial Fermentation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 9353

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Le Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Resources and Environment, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: biomass energy engineering; waste-to-resource technologies; environmental microbial technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The management of organic wastes is currently a critical challenge globally. Of specific interest is food waste, agricultural waste, horticultural waste, animal manure, waste-activated sludge, wastewater, algal residues, and other industrial organic residues. Meanwhile, abundant renewable energy and resources remain unharnessed in such organic wastes. Therefore, to overcome the challenge, a large number of studies on microbial fermentation technologies have been conducted to convert varous organic wastes to biofuels and biochemicals. For instance, anaerobic digestion of organic wastes can be performed for the production of methane-rich biogas. Acidogenic fermentation of organic wastes can be conducted for the production of carboxilic acids. Fermentation of oleaginous yeast can be carried out for the production of microbial lipids. Additionally, biohydrogen can be obtained through dark fermentation of organic wastes, and polypeptide can be produced from the fermentation of certain pure strains. These studies and related field-scale tests have contributed a lot to improving the sustainability of a circular economy.

To further enhance the process efficiency, studies on some enhancing strategies such as feedstock pretreatment, microbial bio-augmentation, and supplementation of additives in fermentaion bioreactors have been conducted with promising findings, but the efficiency requires further confirmation in larger-scale fermentation systems. To make the fermentation systems more practical, lifecycle assessment and cost–benefit analysis have been done to analyze the economic feasibility. The post-treatment of the fermentation liquid also requires more investigation to find the appropriate approaches that can reduce its environmental impacts and treatment cost.

In the global context of circular economy, this Special Issue aims to encourage and advance the research of microbial fermentation technologies for conversion of various organic wastes into biofules and biochemicals.

Dr. Le Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fermentation
  • organic wastes
  • biochemicals
  • biofuels
  • bioenergy
  • biogas
  • biohydrogen
  • anaerobic digestion
  • acidogenic fermentation
  • dark fermentation

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3908 KiB  
Article
Effect of Mixed Culture and Organic Loading Rate over Butanol Production from Biodiesel Waste in an Upflow Packed-Bed Reactor
by Cristina Aglaia Alves Tottoli e Silva, Maria Ângela Tallarico Adorno, Filipe Vasconcelos Ferreira and Guilherme Peixoto
Fermentation 2024, 10(11), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10110586 - 14 Nov 2024
Viewed by 457
Abstract
In this study, an upflow anaerobic packed-bed reactor (UAPB) produced biobutanol from the main byproduct of biodiesel plants, commonly known as glycerol. Currently, butanol production is mostly limited to pure cultures and sterilized feedstocks. Using glycerol wastes from biodiesel production demands a new [...] Read more.
In this study, an upflow anaerobic packed-bed reactor (UAPB) produced biobutanol from the main byproduct of biodiesel plants, commonly known as glycerol. Currently, butanol production is mostly limited to pure cultures and sterilized feedstocks. Using glycerol wastes from biodiesel production demands a new paradigm because sterilization is not economically feasible for the elevated amount of glycerol generated by the biodiesel industry. Different microbial consortia were evaluated as inoculum sources to convert glycerol to butanol. In the first stage, operations were carried out with an average organic loading rate (OLR) of 13 g COD L−1 d−1. Kefir grains, sucrose auto-fermentation consortium, and heat-treated anaerobic sludge produced 16.7, 48.5, and 12.8 mg of butanol per gram of chemical oxygen demand (COD), respectively. Besides butanol production, a significant amount of ethanol (241.5 mg g−1 COD), acetate (30.3 mg g−1 COD), and butyrate (183.4 mg g−1 COD) were generated with glycerol processed by sucrose auto-fermentation consortium. In the second stage, the organic loading rates of 6.5, 13.0, and 26.0 g COD L−1 d−1 were applied to the UAPB reactor inoculated with sucrose auto-fermentation consortium. The OLR of 13.0 g COD L−1 d−1 yielded the highest production of butanol (41.5 mg g−1 COD) and generated other valuable co-products such as butyrate (246.1 mg g−1 COD), acetate (37.3 mg g−1 COD), and propionate (19.6 mg g−1 COD). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0)
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12 pages, 3482 KiB  
Article
Application of an Integrated Granular and Suspended Sludge Methane Reactor for a Two-Stage Anaerobic Digestion System to Deal with Biodegradable Municipal Solid Waste
by Pham Van Dinh and Takeshi Fujiwara
Fermentation 2023, 9(8), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9080720 - 30 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1495
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the performance of a two-stage anaerobic digestion system using a hybrid methane reactor to deal with biodegradable municipal solid waste. The reactor allowed both suspended sludge and granular sludge to work together. The feedstock was fermented in one [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate the performance of a two-stage anaerobic digestion system using a hybrid methane reactor to deal with biodegradable municipal solid waste. The reactor allowed both suspended sludge and granular sludge to work together. The feedstock was fermented in one continuous stirred tank at different pH conditions for 5 d. Furthermore, the liquid hydrolysate was diluted and pumped into a methane reactor with different organic loading rates. In the fermentative reactor, raising the pH condition from 4.5 to 6.5 caused a sharp increase in volatile fatty acids concentration, mainly due to the increase in acetate and propionate. The efficiency of the methane reactor was proven by the results of hydrodynamic analysis and biogas production. The relationship between biogas production and operating parameters in this reactor was modeled using a quadratic multivariate regression model. Overall, by maintaining the fermentative reactor at a pH of 6.0–6.5, the methane reactor was able to achieve an organic loading rate of 7.6 g-TS.L−1·d−1 with outstanding biogas quality and yield. In terms of microbiology, the most dominant phyla in the reactor included Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Euryarchaeota, Synergistetes, and Chloroflexi. Among them, the species with the highest relative abundance in granular sludge was Firmicutes, while that in suspended sludge was Bacteroidetes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0)
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14 pages, 2326 KiB  
Article
Grape Stalk Valorization: An Efficient Re-Use of Lignocellulosic Biomass through Hydrolysis and Fermentation to Produce Lactic Acid from Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC501
by Sergio D’ambrosio, Lucio Zaccariello, Saba Sadiq, Marcella D’Albore, Giovanna Battipaglia, Maria D’Agostino, Daniele Battaglia, Chiara Schiraldi and Donatella Cimini
Fermentation 2023, 9(7), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9070616 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1839
Abstract
Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a homofermentative probiotic strain that was previously demonstrated to grow on lignocellulosic-derived raw materials and to convert glucose into L-lactic acid (LA) with yields that vary between 0.38 and 0.97 g/g. Lactic acid is a key platform chemical, largely applied [...] Read more.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a homofermentative probiotic strain that was previously demonstrated to grow on lignocellulosic-derived raw materials and to convert glucose into L-lactic acid (LA) with yields that vary between 0.38 and 0.97 g/g. Lactic acid is a key platform chemical, largely applied in different biotechnological fields (spanning from the pharmaceutical to the food sector) and also as a building block for the production of biodegradable polymers. In the present study, grape stalks were evaluated as sources of fermentable sugars for the growth of L. rhamnosus IMC501 and for the production of LA, since millions of hectoliters of wine are produced every year worldwide, generating a huge amount of waste. Although grape stalks are quite recalcitrant, the combination of a steam explosion pre-treatment with optimized two-step hydrolysis and commercial enzymes (Cellic-CTec2) allowed us to obtain a cellulose conversion efficiency of about 37% and to develop small-scale 2 L batch fermentation processes. Results successfully demonstrate that L. rhamnosus IMC501 can tolerate biomass-derived inhibitors and grow on grape stalk hydrolysate without the need for additional sources of nitrogen or other nutritional elements, and that the strain can convert all glucose present in the medium into LA, reaching the maximal theoretical yield. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0)
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18 pages, 3049 KiB  
Article
A Novel Batched Four-Stage–Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion System to Facilitate Methane Production from Rice Straw and Cow Manure with Low Inoculum/Substrate Ratios
by Zhao Yin, Siqi Zhou, Xingyun Zhang, Xuemei Li, Zeming Wang, Juan Wang, Weixing Cao and Chen Sun
Fermentation 2023, 9(6), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9060565 - 15 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1646
Abstract
In order to improve the performance of methane production from agro-waste, a batched four-stage–two-phase anaerobic digestion (4S2P-AD) system was designed to combine the advantages of both anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD) and two-phase AD. The initial separation of two phases was performed using rice straw [...] Read more.
In order to improve the performance of methane production from agro-waste, a batched four-stage–two-phase anaerobic digestion (4S2P-AD) system was designed to combine the advantages of both anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD) and two-phase AD. The initial separation of two phases was performed using rice straw (RS) as a feedstock in acidogenic phase and cow manure (CM) in methanogenic phase at low inoculum/substrate (I/S) ratios of 0.5 and 0.2 and a high organic loading of 60 g volatile solid (VS)/L. The periodic round-trip reflux of leachate during the 4S2P-AD process facilitated re-inoculation throughout the four stages. The results showed that this round-trip reflux also dispersed toxic ammonia, balanced the carbon/nitrogen ratio, unified the microbial community structure, and led to the selection of Methanosarcina (relative abundance > 80%) as the dominant methanogens. With the abilities to overcome volatile fatty acid accumulation, shorten lag times, improve biodegradability, and foster synergistic effects, it was verified that the 4S2P-AD process can maintain efficient and stable methanogenesis from high-solid lignocellulosic feedstock. The averaged methane production throughout the four stages of 4S2P-AD was 234 mL/g VS. This result is 96% higher than the averaged methane production obtained from the four one-step AD groups using mono-feedstock, and 91% higher than that obtained using co-feedstock. This study provides a scientific reference for the development of new processes of bio-methane production from agro-waste with a high fermentation capacity and stability in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0)
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25 pages, 1125 KiB  
Review
Metabolic Engineering of Microorganisms to Produce L-Aspartate and Its Derivatives
by Aiqin Shi, Yan Liu, Baolei Jia, Gang Zheng and Yanlai Yao
Fermentation 2023, 9(8), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9080737 - 6 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3106
Abstract
Metabolic engineering is a promising strategy to realize green synthesis of valued chemicals derived from petroleum. According to the literature, cell factories for producing L-aspartate and its derivatives (β-alanine, ectoine, 3-hydroxypropionate, D-pantothenic acid and L-homoserine) have been developed. In this review, we firstly [...] Read more.
Metabolic engineering is a promising strategy to realize green synthesis of valued chemicals derived from petroleum. According to the literature, cell factories for producing L-aspartate and its derivatives (β-alanine, ectoine, 3-hydroxypropionate, D-pantothenic acid and L-homoserine) have been developed. In this review, we firstly introduced the functions, applications and markets of L-aspartate and its derivatives. Then, the current research progress on microbial production of them was elaborated in detail. Finally, we have discussed the limiting factors and given some suggestions for realizing applications of engineered bacteria in the industry, including metabolic engineering of the bacteria to increase the titer, yield and productivity of the target products, fermentation condition optimization and downstream purification. With the development of novel technologies and increased investments in synthetic biology, it is promising to realize sustainable production of L-aspartate and its derivatives at the industrial scale in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Fermentation of Organic Wastes for Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals 2.0)
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