Effect of lignocellulose-derived weak acids on butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum under different pH adjustment conditions

The effects of formic acid, acetic acid and levulinic acid on acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation under different pH adjustment conditions were investigated using Clostridium acetobutylicum as the fermentation strain. CaCO(3) supplementation can alleviate the inhibitory effect of formic acid on ABE production. The ABE titers from the medium containing 0.5 g L(−1) formic acid with pH adjusted by CaCO(3) and KOH were 11.08 g L(−1) and 1.04 g L(−1), which reached 64.8% and 6.3% of the control group, respectively. Compared with CaCO(3) pH adjustment, fermentation results with higher ABE titers and yields were obtained from the medium containing acetic acid or levulinic acid, when the pH was adjusted by KOH. When formic acid, acetic acid, and levulinic acid co-existed in the medium, better fermentation result was achieved by adjusting the pH by CaCO(3). Moreover, 12.50 g L(−1) ABE was obtained from the medium containing 2.0 g L(−1) acetic acid, 0.4 g L(−1) formic acid, and 1.0 g L(−1) levulinic acid as compared to 3.98 g L(−1) ABE obtained from the same medium when the pH was adjusted by KOH. CaCO(3) supplementation is a more favorable pH adjustment method for ABE medium preparation from lignocellulosic hydrolysate.