Whole-cell synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid from pineapple waste under various fermentation strategies

Abstract

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one of the platform chemicals and monomers used in plastic industries, currently synthesized by carcinogenic and toxic chemical processes with high pressure and temperature. The aim of this study was to develop a bioprocess for the production of FDCA. 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) was synthesized (22.67 ± 1.36 g/l/h) from pineapple peel using chromium(III) chloride (CrCl3) at 100 °C. After optimization, approximately 3 mg/l/h FDCA was produced by Aspergillus flavus APLS-1 from HMF in a 2.5 L fermenter in a batch strategy. Parallel and immobilized packed bad bioreactors showed less production of FDCA. A fed-batch strategy produced 3.5 ± 0.3 mg/l/h of FDCA in shake flasks. Also, approximately 0.55 mg/l/h of FDCA was produced from pineapple waste derived HMF. However, these bioprocesses may be improved to increase the yield of renewable FDCA, in the future. This is the first report on FDCA production from pineapple waste.