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Fermentation of Sweet Sorghum Syrup to Butanol in the Presence of Natural Nutrients and Inhibitors

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Abstract

Sweet sorghum syrups represent a renewable raw material that can be available year-round for production of biofuels and biochemicals. Sweet sorghum sugars have been used as sources for butanol production in the past but most often the studies focused on sweet sorghum juice and not on sweet sorghum syrups. Therefore, we investigated the feasibility of using the syrups as feedstock. Initial studies showed that diluted sweet sorghum syrups, to 60 g/L of glucose equivalents, could not be used as a direct replacement of a synthetic growth medium for industrial butanol-producing strain Clostridium beijerinckii. Further studies revealed that supplemental nutrients (most notably, ammonium–nitrogen) were required for successful fermentation. This was found true for two manufacturing sources of sweet sorghum syrups from commercial cultivars and hybrids. Typically, 15 g/L of total acetone, butanol, and ethanol were produced with approximately half of that being butanol. Some minor statistical difference was noted between the production potential of the two sources of syrup. However, aconitic acid, which was present at similar levels in both syrups, was ruled out as a butanol fermentation inhibitor at the fermentation pH > 4.5.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mr. Larry Boihem, Jr., for assistance with chemical analysis and Dr. Maureen Wright and Ms. Alexa Triplett for collecting sweet sorghum syrup samples. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Funding

This study was funded by internal research funds for Project 6054-41000-110-00-D of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, under the National Program: Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products (NP306).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd, New Orleans, LA, 70124, USA

    K. Thomas Klasson & Gillian Eggleston

  2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1815 N. University St., Peoria, IL, 61604, USA

    Nasib Qureshi

  3. Delta BioRenewables LLC, 7430 Smythe Farm Rd., Memphis, TN, 38120, USA

    Randall Powell

  4. Heckemeyer Biorefinery, Sikeston, MO, 63801, USA

    Matthew Heckemeyer

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  1. K. Thomas Klasson
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Correspondence to K. Thomas Klasson.

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Klasson, K.T., Qureshi, N., Powell, R. et al. Fermentation of Sweet Sorghum Syrup to Butanol in the Presence of Natural Nutrients and Inhibitors. Sugar Tech 20, 224–234 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-018-0594-2

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