Potential of thin stillage as a low-cost nutrient source for direct cellulose fermentation by <i>Clostridium thermocellum</i>

Rumana Islam; Charushi Panditharatne; John Schellenberg; Richard Sparling; Nazim Cicek; David B. Levin; Rumana Islam; Charushi Panditharatne; John Schellenberg; Richard Sparling; Nazim Cicek; David B. Levin

doi:10.3934/energy.2015.4.711

AIMS Energy

2015, Volume 3, Issue 4: 711-727. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.4.711

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Potential of thin stillage as a low-cost nutrient source for direct cellulose fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum

1.
Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada;
2.
Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

Received: 16 September 2015 Accepted: 29 October 2015 Published: 05 November 2015

Utilization of thin stillage (TS), derived from grain-based ethanol production, was investigated as an alternative source for microbial growth nutrients during direct conversion of cellulose by Clostridium thermocellum DSM 1237. Fermentation end-products synthesized by C. thermocellum grown on media prepared with various concentrations (50-400 g/L) of TS were compared to those synthesized by C. thermocellum grown on reagent grade chemical (reference) medium. Cell-growth in TS media, monitored with the aid of quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) technique, showed prolonged growth with increasing TS concentration. Final fermentation end-product concentrations from TS media were comparable with those from the reference medium despite lower growth-rates. The volumetric H₂ production generated by C. thermocellum grown with medium containing a low concentration (50 g/L) of TS matched the volumetric H₂ production by C. thermocellum grown in the reference medium, while higher concentrations (200 g/L) of TS resulted in greater synthesis of ethanol. Supplementation of TS-media with Mg⁺⁺ enhanced ethanol production, while hydrogen production remained unchanged. These results suggest that TS, an attractive source of low-cost nutrients, is capable of supporting the growth of C. thermocellum and that high concentrations of TS favor synthesis of ethanol over hydrogen from cellulose.
- Dark fermentation,
- thin stillage,
- hydrogen,
- ethanol,
- cellulose,
- Clostridium thermocellum
Citation: Rumana Islam, Charushi Panditharatne, John Schellenberg, Richard Sparling, Nazim Cicek, David B. Levin. Potential of thin stillage as a low-cost nutrient source for direct cellulose fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum[J]. AIMS Energy, 2015, 3(4): 711-727. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.4.711

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Abstract

Utilization of thin stillage (TS), derived from grain-based ethanol production, was investigated as an alternative source for microbial growth nutrients during direct conversion of cellulose by Clostridium thermocellum DSM 1237. Fermentation end-products synthesized by C. thermocellum grown on media prepared with various concentrations (50-400 g/L) of TS were compared to those synthesized by C. thermocellum grown on reagent grade chemical (reference) medium. Cell-growth in TS media, monitored with the aid of quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) technique, showed prolonged growth with increasing TS concentration. Final fermentation end-product concentrations from TS media were comparable with those from the reference medium despite lower growth-rates. The volumetric H₂ production generated by C. thermocellum grown with medium containing a low concentration (50 g/L) of TS matched the volumetric H₂ production by C. thermocellum grown in the reference medium, while higher concentrations (200 g/L) of TS resulted in greater synthesis of ethanol. Supplementation of TS-media with Mg⁺⁺ enhanced ethanol production, while hydrogen production remained unchanged. These results suggest that TS, an attractive source of low-cost nutrients, is capable of supporting the growth of C. thermocellum and that high concentrations of TS favor synthesis of ethanol over hydrogen from cellulose.

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