Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Succinic Acid Fermentation from Steam-Exploded Corn Stalk at High Solid Concentration by Recombinant Escherichia coli

Steam-exploded corn stalk biomass was used as the substrate for succinic acid production via lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Succinic acid fermentation was investigated in Escherichia coli strains overexpressing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. 7120 ecaA gene encoding carbonic anhydrase (CA). For the washed steam-exploded corn stalk at 30 % substrate concentration, i.e., 30 % water-insoluble solids (WIS), enzymatic hydrolysis yielded 97.5 g/l glucose solution and a cellulose conversion of 73.6 %, thus a high succinic acid level up to 38.6 g/l. With the unwashed steam-exploded corn stalk, though a cellulose conversion of 71.2 % was obtained in hydrolysis at 30 % solid concentration (27.9 % WIS), its hydrolysate did not ferment at all, and the hydrolysate of 25 % solid loading containing 3.8 g/l acetic acid and 168.2 mg/l furfural exerted a strong inhibition on succinic acid production.