Fermentation process for the production of organic acids

Abstract

This invention relates to improvements in the fermentation process used in the production of organic acids from biological feedstock using bacterial catalysts. The improvements in the fermentation process involve providing a fermentation medium comprising an appropriate form of inorganic carbon, an appropriate amount of aeration and a biocatalyst with an enhanced ability to uptake and assimilate the inorganic carbon into the organic acids. This invention also provides, as a part of an integrated fermentation facility, a novel process for producing a solid source of inorganic carbon by sequestering carbon released from the fermentation in an alkali solution.

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         17 . A method for producing succinic acid through fermentation comprising the steps of:
 providing a biocatalyst for succinic acid production;   providing a source of organic carbon;   providing a source of neutralizing agent;   providing a source of inorganic carbon; and   maintaining the biocatalysts under microaerobic condition during the production phase.   
     
     
         18 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein said source of neutralizing agent is ammonium hydroxide. 
     
     
         19 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein said source of inorganic carbon is ammonium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         20 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein said source of neutralizing agent is ammonium hydroxide and said source of inorganic carbon is ammonium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         21 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein the biocatalyst has an enhanced ability for inorganic carbon uptake. 
     
     
         22 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 21 , wherein the enhanced ability for inorganic carbon uptake results from a genetic modification that increases inorganic bicarbonate transport activity. 
     
     
         23 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein the biocatalyst has an enhanced ability for inorganic carbon assimilation. 
     
     
         24 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 23 , wherein the enhanced ability for inorganic carbon assimilation of the biocatalyst results from a genetic modification to one of the carboxylating enzyme present within the biocatalyst. 
     
     
         25 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein the fermentation is run in a batch mode. 
     
     
         26 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein the fermentation is run in a fed-batch mode. 
     
     
         27 . The method for producing succinic acid according to  claim 17 , wherein the biocatalyst for succinic acid production is obtained from group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Gluconobacter oxydans, Gluconobacter asaii, Achromobacter delmarvae, Achromobacter viscosus, Achromobacter lacticum, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Agrobacterium radiobacter, Alcaligenes faecalis, Arthrobacter citreus, Arthrobacter tumescens, Arthrobacter paraffineus, Arthrobacter hydrocarboglutamicus, Arthrobacter oxydans, Aureobacterium saperdae, Azotobacter indicus, Brevibacterium ammoniagenes, divaricatum, Brevibacterium lactofermentum, Brevibacterium flavum, Brevibacterium globosum, Brevibacterium fuscum, Brevibacterium ketoglutamicum, Brevibacterium helcolum, Brevibacterium pusillum, Brevibacterium testaceum, Brevibacterium roseum, Brevibacterium immariophilium, Brevibacterium linens, Brevibacterium protopharmiae, Corynebacterium acetophilum, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Corynebacterium callunae, Corynebacterium acetoacidophilum, Corynebacterium acetoglutamicum, Enterobacter aerogenes, Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Erwinia herbicola, Erwinia chrysanthemi, Flavobacterium peregrinum, Flavobacterium fucatum, Flavobacterium aurantinum, Flavobacterium rhenanum, Flavobacterium sewanense, Flavobacterium breve, Flavobacterium meningosepticum, Micrococcus  sp. CCM825,  Morganella morganii, Nocardia opaca, Nocardia rugosa, Planococcus eucinatus, Proteus rettgeri, Propionibacterium shermanii, Pseudomonas synxantha, Pseudomonas azotoformans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas ovalis, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas acidovolans, Pseudomonas mucidolens, Pseudomonas testosteroni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rhodococcus erythropolis, Rhodococcus rhodochrous, Rhodococcus  sp. ATCC 15592,  Rhodococcus  sp. ATCC 19070 , Sporosarcina ureae, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio metschnikovii, Vibrio tyrogenes, Actinomadura madurae, Actinomyces violaceochromogenes, Kitasatosporia parulosa, Streptomyces coelicolor, Streptomyces flavelus, Streptomyces griseolus, Streptomyces lividans, Streptomyces olivaceus, Streptomyces tanashiensis, Streptomyces virginiae, Streptomyces antibioticus, Streptomyces cacaoi, Streptomyces lavendulae, Streptomyces viridochromogenes, Aeromonas salmonicida, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus thiaminolyticus, Escherichia freundii, Microbacterium ammoniaphilum, Serratia marcescens, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella schottmulleri, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylolliquefaciens  and  Xanthomonas citri.    
     
     
         28 . The method of producing succinic acid as in  claim 17 , wherein the organic carbon source is derived from the hydrolysis of a plant derived carbohydrate. 
     
     
         29 . The method of producing succinic acid as in  claim 17 , wherein the organic carbon is derived from the hydrolysis of starch from grain sorghum. 
     
     
         30 . The method of producing succinic acid as in  claim 17 , wherein the organic carbon is derived from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic feed stock. 
     
     
         31 . The method for producing succinic acid as in  claim 20 , wherein the ammonium hydroxide and ammonium bicarbonate solution are mixed together in advance and provided to the fermentor through a single feed line 
     
     
         32 . The method for producing succinic acid as in  claim 20 , wherein the ammonium hydroxide and ammonium bicarbonate are used in the molar ratio of 8:1 to 1:1. 
     
     
         33 . The method for producing succinic acid as in  claim 20 , wherein the ammonium hydroxide and ammonium bicarbonate are used in the molar ratio of 4:1 to 2:1. 
     
     
         34 . The method for producing succinic acid as in  claim 20 , wherein the ammonium bicarbonate is prepared by trapping carbon dioxide gas in ammonium hydroxide solution. 
     
     
         35 . The method of producing succinic acid as in  claim 17 , wherein the microaeration is provided by mixing air to carbon dioxide gas in the amount of less than 1 percent of air and feeding the gas mixture at the flow rate of at least 0.001 vvm.