Consistent 1,3-propanediol production from glycerol in mixed culture fermentation over a wide range of pH

BACKGROUND: Glycerol is currently an over-produced chemical that can be used as substrate for the production of high value products such as 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) in fermentation processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of initial pH on a batch mixed culture fermentation of glycerol, considering both the bacterial community composition and the fermentation patterns. RESULTS: For pH values between 5 and 9, 1,3-PDO production yields ranged from 0.52 ± 0.01 to 0.64 ± 0.00 [Formula: see text] , with the highest values obtained at pH 7 and 8. An Enterobacteriaceae member closely related to Citrobacter freundii was strongly enriched at all pH values. Within the less dominant bacterial species, two different microbial community structures were found, one at acid pH values and another at neutral to basic pH values. CONCLUSIONS: 1,3-PDO production was improved at pH values over 7. It was anti-correlated with lactate and ethanol production but positively correlated with acetate production. No direct correlation between 1,3-PDO production and a specific family of bacteria was found, suggesting functional redundancies in the microbial community. However, 1,3-PDO production yield remained high over the range of pH studied and was comparable to the best obtained in the same conditions in the literature. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13068-016-0447-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.