Efficient conversion of crop stalk wastes into succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes

Succinic acid is valued as a key platform chemical for use in a variety of synthetic applications. Efficient biosynthesis of succinic acid from renewable biomass resource is reported in this paper. Batch fermentations were carried out to analyze influence of several carbon sources on succinic acid production from feedstock wastes by Actinobacillus succinogenes BE-1. Crop stalk wastes, including corn stalk and cotton stalk, were enzymatically converted into a carbohydrate-rich feedstock, obtaining glucose concentrations approaching 65–80% of the total reducing sugar. For the anaerobic batch cultivation with cotton stalk hydrolysates, the production of succinic acid was 15.8 g l−1 with a high yield of 1.23 g per g glucose. Glucose and xylose were utilized at same time, while cellubiose was not consumed until glucose and xylose were completely consumed.