Product inhibition in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of cellulose into lactic acid

Abstract

The product, lactic acid, strongly inhibited microbial activity in lactic acid fermentation. The volumetric productivity declined from 1.19 g/l.h with zero lactic acid (control) to only 0.18 g/l.h when lactic acid reached 65 g/l. Lactic acid also inhibited cellulase activity but less severely than the inhibition on microbial activity as lactic acid above 90 g/l was needed for 50% inhibition. A gradual deterioration of the Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process occurred with the build-up of lactic acid and the rate-controlling step in SSF shifted from hydrolysis to fermentation as the bioprocess proceeded.