Production of succinic acid by anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens

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The effect of an external supply of carbon dioxide and pH on the production of succinic acid by Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens was studied. In a rich medium containing yeast extract and peptone, when the external carbon dioxide supply was provided by a 1.5M Na2CO3 solution that also was used to maintain the pH at 6.0, no additional carbon dioxide supply was needed. In fact, sparging CO2 gas into the fermenter at 0.025 L/L-min or higher rates resulted in significant decreases in both production rate and yield of succinate. Under the same conditions, the production of the main by-product acetate was not affected by sparging CO2 gas into the fermenter. The optimum pH (pH 6.0) for the production of succinic acid was found to be in agreement with results previously reported in the literature. Succinic acid production also was studied in an industrial-type inexpensive medium in which light steep water was the only source of organic nutrients. At pH 6.0 and with a CO2 gas sparge rate of 0.08 L/L-min, succinate concentration reached a maximum of 32 g/L in 27 h with a yield of 0.99 g succinate/g glucose consumed.