Process optimisation for production and recovery of succinic acid using xylose-rich hydrolysates by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

Succinic acid (SA) is a top platform chemical obtainable from biomass. The current study evaluated the potential of Actinobacillus succinogenes for SA production using xylose-rich hemicellulosic fractions of two important lignocellulosic feedstocks, olive pits (OP) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and the results were compared with pure xylose. Initial experiments were conducted in shake flask followed by batch and fed-batch cultivation in bioreactor. Further separation of SA from the fermented broth was carried out by adapting direct crystallisation method. During fed-batch culture, maximum SA titers of 36.7, 33.6, and 28.7 g/L was achieved on pure xylose, OP and SCB hydrolysates, respectively, with same conversion yield of 0.27 g/g. The recovery yield of SA accumulated on pure xylose, OP and SCB hydrolysates was 79.1, 76.5, and 75.2%, respectively. The results obtained are of substantial value and pave the way for development of sustainable SA biomanufacturing in an integrated biorefinery.

High level xylitol production by Pichia fermentans using non-detoxified xylose-rich sugarcane bagasse and olive pits hydrolysates.

Hemicellulosic sugars, the overlooked fraction of lignocellulosic residues can serve as potential and cost-effective raw material that can be exploited for xylitol production. Xylitol is a top platform chemical with applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and olive pits (OP) are the major waste streams from sugar and olive oil industries, respectively. The current study evaluated the potential of Pichia fermentans for manufacturing of xylitol from SCB and OP hydrolysates through co-fermentation strategy. The highest xylitol accumulation was noticed with a glucose and xylose ratio of 1:10 followed by feeding with xylose alone. The fed-batch cultivation using pure xylose, SCB, and OP hydrolysates, resulted in xylitol accumulation of 102.5, 86.6 and 71.9 g/L with conversion yield of 0.78, 0.75 and 0.74 g/g, respectively. The non-pathogenic behaviour and ability to accumulate high xylitol levels from agro-industrial residues demonstrates the potential of P. fermentans as microbial cell factory.

Biomarker responses (serum biochemistry) in pregnant female wistar rats and histopathology of their neonates exposed prenatally to pesticides

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects on health of pregnant female rats exposed to pesticides glyphosate and carbendazim. Glyphosate is used as herbicide and carbendazim as a fungicide; all are commercially available readily for various agricultural and domestic purposes. The hypothesis tested in this investigation is that pesticide exposure during pregnancy causes changes in biomarker responses like serum glucose level, total protein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, SGOT, SGPT, and billirubin level. Significant changes were observed in all above biomarker responses, when compared with the reference. Histopathology of skin and kidney of rat neonates showed marked damage. Degenerative changes and vacuolization with eroded capsule were observed in kidney sample and thinning of epidermis in skin sample was seen in pesticides exposed neonates of rats. The serum biochemistry and histopathological findings are valuable markers for observing the changes caused by pesticide exposure.