Entirely Oil Palm-Based Production of 1,3-Propanediol with Lentilactobacillus Diolivorans

Lentilactobacillus diolivorans (formerly Lactobacillus diolivorans) is an efficient cell factory for the production of 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) under industrially relevant conditions. Crude glycerol from biodiesel production is converted into 1,3-PDO during glucose co-fermentation. Typically, sugars needed for growth and energy production are supplied in pure form, but a more sustainable way is the utilization of lignocellulosic sugars from renewable biomass. In this study, we set out to efficiently produce 1,3-PDO entirely based on waste streams from palm oil based oleochemical production. In fed-batch cultivations crude glycerol was converted to 1,3-PDO and necessary sugars for biomass formation were solely supplied by hydrolysates from empty fruit bunches (EFB). Different pre-treatment methods for EFB were compared. The patented pre-treatment method established by LXP Group using phosphoric acid allowed accumulation of 86 g/L 1,3-PDO with a productivity of 0,59 g/L*h for entirely oil palm-based production of 1,3-PDO, which was comparable to the glucose based reference process.