Biological formation of caproate and caprylate from acetate: fuel and chemical production from low grade biomass
Open accessAbstract
This research introduces an alternative mixed culture fermentation technology for anaerobic digestion to recover valuable products from low grade biomass. In this mixed culture fermentation, organic waste streams are converted to caproate and caprylate as precursors for biodiesel or chemicals. It was found that acetate, as the main intermediate of anaerobic digestion, can be elongated to medium chain fatty acids with six and eight carbon atoms. Mixed microbial communities were able to produce 8.17 g l−1 caproate and 0.32 g l−1 caprylate under methanogenesis-suppressed conditions in a stable batch reactor run. The highest production rate was 25.6 mM C caproate per day with a product yield of 0.6 mol C per mol C. This elongation process occurred with both ethanol and hydrogen as electron donors, demonstrating the flexibility of the process. Microbial characterization revealed that the microbial populations were stable and dominated by relatives of Clostridium kluyveri.
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- Authors
- Steinbusch, K. J. J., Hamelers, H. V. M., Plugge, C. M., & Buisman, C. J. N.
- Affiliations
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Hamelers, Hubertus V. M.
- Venue
- Energy Environ. Sci.
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 216-224
- ISSN
- 1754-5692 (ISSN-L)
- 1754-5706
- OpenAlex
- W2134200492
- Cited by
- 453
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 20.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- research.wur.nl
- Locations
- Energy & Environmental Science (publishedVersion)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Keywords
- caproate production, medium-chain fatty acids, mixed culture fermentation, anaerobic digestion, methanogenesis inhibition, Clostridium kluyveri, biodiesel precursors, organic waste valorization, hydrogen as electron donor
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