ARS | Publication request: PRODUCTION OF 2,3-BUTANEDIOL BY NEWLY ISOLATED ENTEROBACTER CLOACAE

Submitted to: Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 14, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The efficient utilization of both the cellulose and hemicellulose carbohydrates of agricultural residues is crucial to the economic success of any bioconversion process. 2,3-butanediol is a valuable chemical feedstock because of its application as a solvent, liquid fuel and as a precursor of many synthetic polymers and resins. The production of 2,3-butanediol by fermentation has become attractive because of the possibility of using microbes with the ability to ferment multiple sugar substrates to butanediol. Screening of about 150 soil samples from various locations, especially corn fields, was performed for isolation of microbes to ferment L-arabinose to ethanol. One promising L-arabinose-utilizing bacterium which produces 2,3-butanediol has been isolated, purified and identified as Enterobacter cloacae (NRRL P-2027). In a typical fermentation, a butanediol yield of 0.4 g/g substrate was obtained. Butanediol productivity, yield and formation of by-products (acetoin, ethanol) were influenced significantly by substrate concentration, temperature, pH, aeration, various monosaccharides and multiple mixed sugars in shake flask experiments. The performance of the isolated organism for fermentation of corn fiber hydrolyzate will be presented.