Volume 7
Issue 2
Biotechnology
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume7/issue2/biotechnology/abs-03.html
ENHANCED PRODUCTION OF OXALIC ACID IN ASPERGILLUS NIGER BY THE ADDITION OF METHANOL
Waldemar Rymowicz, Dorota Lenart
ABSTRACT
The stimulating effects of methanol on the growth and production of oxalic acid from post-refining fatty acids (by-product of plant oil production containing free fatty acids) by a mutant of Aspergillus niger were investigated in submerged fermentation experiments. Both the final concentration and the yield of the product were highest when 1.5 % (w/v) methanol was added at the time of inoculation culture. With a medium containing of 50 g/l fatty acids, production reached a maximum of 75 g/l oxalic acid with yield on fatty acids consumed up to 1.57 g/g after 7 d. The concentration of oxalic acid and the product yield was 1.4 and 1.34 times higher, respectively, than the control (without methanol).
Key words: Aspergillus niger; biosynthesis; fatty acids; methanol; oxalic acid..