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7210178 
Journal Article 
Gluconobacter oxydans (ATCC 621H) catalyzed oxidation of furfural for detoxification of furfural and bioproduction of furoic acid 
Zhou, X; Zhou, Xin; Xu, Y; Chen, RR; , 
2017 
1 
Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
ISSN: 0142-0356 
WILEY 
HOBOKEN 
1285-1289 
WOS:000403025100017 
BACKGROUND: The bacterial strain Gluconobacter oxydans (ATCC 621H) was investigated for its potential biodetoxification properties through conversion of furfural to 2-furoic acid (FA). Furfural is a common by product of lignocellulose feedstock pretreament processing and it is a putative inhibitor of several important microbial pathways.RESULTS: Both furfural and furfuryl alcohol exhibit significant substrate inhibition to biooxidation. To overcome this inhibition, a fed-batch bioprocess was developed to convert furfural and furfuryl alcohol to the low-toxic FA product. The optimized fed-batch bioprocess gave FA concentrations exceeding 40 g L-1 with a productivity of 0.167 g L-1 h(-1) and a yield of nearly 100%. In order to improve productivity, the whole cell catalysis was carried out in a compressed oxygen supply-sealed and stirred tank reactor (COS-SSTR). Similar to the flask studies, 38.18 g L-1 FA was obtained in 24 h.CONCLUSION: Gluconobacter oxydans was found to oxidize both furfural and furfuryl alcohol to a single product, FA, with a yield close to 100%. Unlike other microorganisms, this strain does not have a metabolic system to further degrade FA, demonstrating its potential to produce this useful product from renewable resources. (C) 2016 Society of Chemical Industry