Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioconversion of palm oil mill effluent for citric acid production: statistical optimization of fermentation media and time by central composite design

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A laboratory-scale study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using palm oil mill effluent (POME) as a major substrate and other nutrients for maximum production of citric acid using the potential fungal strain Aspergillus niger (A103). Statistical optimization of medium composition (substrate–POME, co-substrates–wheat flour and glucose, and nitrogen source–ammonium nitrate) and fermentation time was carried out by central composite design (CCD) to develop a polynomial regression model through the effects of linear, quadratic, and interaction of the factors. The statistical analysis of the results showed that, in the range studied, ammonium nitrate had no significant effect whereas substrate, co-substrates and fermentation time had significant effects on citric acid production. The optimized medium containing 2% (w/w) of substrate concentration (POME), 4% (w/w) of wheat flour concentration, 4% (w/w) of glucose concentration, 0% (w/v) of ammonium nitrate and 5 days fermentation time gave the maximum predicted citric acid of 5.37 g/l which was found to be 1.5 g/l in the experimental run. The determination of coefficient (R 2) from the analysis observed was 0.964, indicating a satisfactory adjustment of the model with the response. The analysis showed that the major substrate POME (P < 0.05), glucose (P < 0.01), nutrient (P < 0.05), and fermentation time (P < 0.01) was more significant for citric acid production. The bioconversion of POME for citric acid production using optimal conditions showed the higher removal of chemical oxygen demand (82%) with the production of citric acid (5.2 g/l) on the final day of fermentation process (7 days). The pH and biosolids accumulation were observed during the bioconversion process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmad AL, Ismail S, Bhatia S (2003) Water recycling from palm oil mill effluent (POME) using membrane technology. Desalination 157:87–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed AL, Ibrahim N, Ismail S, Bhatia S (2002) Coagulation–sedimentation–extraction pretreatment methods for the removal of suspended solids and residual oil from palm oil mill effluent (POME). IIUM Eng J 3:23–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Akhnazaroza S, Kefarov V (1982) Experiment optimization in chemistry and chemical engineering. Mir Publishers, Moscow

    Google Scholar 

  • Alam MZ, Fakhru’l-Razi A, Molla AH (2004) Evaluation of fungal potentiality for bioconversion of domestic wastewater sludge. J Env Sci 16:132–137

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alam MZ, Muyibi SA, Wahid R (2008) Statistical optimization of process conditions for cellulase production by liquid state bioconversion of domestic wastewater sludge. Bioresource Technol (in press)

  • APHA (1989) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayraktar E, Mehmetoglu U (2000) Production of citric acid using immobilized conidia of Aspergillus niger. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 87:117–125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beg QK, Sahai V, Gupta R (2003) Statistical media optimization and alkaline protease production from Bacillus mojavensis in a bioreactor. Process Biochem 39:203–209

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bocchini DA, Alves-Prado HF, Baida LC, Roberto IC, Gomes E, Da Silva R (2002) Optimization of xylanase production by Bacillus circulans D1 in submerged fermentation using response surface methodology. Process Biochem 38:727–731

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drysdale CR, McKay MH (1995) Citric acid production by Aspergillus niger on surface culture on inulin. Lett Appl Microbiol 20:252–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dutta JR, Dutta PK, Banerjee R (2004) Optimization of culture parameters for extracellular protease production from a newly isolated Pseudomonas sp. using response surface and artificial neural network models. Process Biochem 39:2193–2198

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Holi MA, Al-Delaimy KS (2003) Citric acid production from whey with sugars and additives by Aspergillus niger. African J Biotech 2:356–359

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich J, Cimerman A, Perdih A (1983) The use of Aspergillus niger for bioconversion of apple distillery waste. Eur J Appl Microbiol Biotecnol 17:243–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghulam NQ, Chand NG, Surya KC, Charanjit LC, Michael T, Ulfert O (1990) Pilot scale citric acid production with Aspergillus niger under several conditions. J Ferment Bioeng 69:72–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez R, Schnable I, Garrido J (1988) Pellet growth and citric acid yield of Aspergillus niger 110. Enzyme Microb Technol 10:188–191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grewal HS, Karla AL (1995) Fungal production of citric acid. Biotechnol Adv 13:209–234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta S (1994) Continuous production of citric acid from sugar cane molasses using a combination of submerged immobilized and surface stabilized cultures of Aspergillus niger, KCU520. Biotechnol Lett 16:599–604

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • HACH (2002) Analysis Handbook. HACH Company

  • Hossain M, Brooks JD, Moddax IS (1984) The effect of the sugar source on citric acid production by Aspergillus niger. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 19:393–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamal P, Alam MZ, Salleh MRM, Nadzir MM (2005) Screening of microorganisms for citric acid production from palm oil mill effluent. Biotechnology 4:275–278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karthikeyan RS, Rakshit SK, Baradajaran A (1996) Optimization of batch fermentation condition for dextran production. Bioprocess Eng 15:247–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khuri AI, Cornell JA (1987) Response surfaces: design and analysis. Marcel Decker Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim JW, Barrington S, Sheppard J, Lee B (2006) Nutrient optimization for the production of citric acid by Aspergillus niger NRRL 567 grown on peat moss enriched with glucose. Process Biochem 41:1253–1260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kunar GS, Grotz M, Röhr M, Kubicek CP (1989) Increased citric acid production by mutants of Aspergillus niger with increased glycolytic capacity. FEMS Microbiol Lett 59:297–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar P, Satyanarayana T (2007) Optimization of culture variables for improving glucoamylase production by alginate-entrapped Thermomucor indicaeseudaticae using statistical methods. Bioresour Technol 98:1252–1259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma AN (2001) Environmental management of the palm oil industry. Palm Oil Dev 30:1–10

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma AN, Ong ASH (1985) Pollution control in palm oil mills in Malaysia. J Am Oil Chem Soc 62:261–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marier JR, Boulet M (1958) Direct determination of citric acid in milk with an improved pyridine–acetic anhydride method. J Dairy Sci 41:1683–1692

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MPOB-Malaysian Palm Oil Board (2003) Latest development and commercialization of oil palm biomass. MPOB-FMM Seminar on Business Opportunity in Oil Palm Biomass, Selangor, Malaysia, 21 August, 2003

  • Muralidhar RV, Chirumamila RR, Marchant R, Nigam P (2001) A response surface approach for the comparison of lipase production by Candida cylindracea using two different carbon sources. Biochem Eng J 9:17–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roukas T (1998) Citric acid production from carob pod extract by cell recycle of Aspergillus niger ATCC 9142. Food Biotechnol 12:91–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roukas T, Kotzekidou (1997) P. Pretreatment of date syrup to increase citric acid production. Enzyme Microbial Technol 21:273–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rusnani AM, Ma AN, Hisham E (1999) BOD, TSS and color reduction of palm mill effluent using boiler fly ash. PORIM Bull 39:25–31

    Google Scholar 

  • SIRIM Berhad (2001) Strain improvement & scale up fermentation process by Aspergillus niger strain m2SG1 using glucose derived sago hydrolysate. IRPA Project Report, MOSTI, Malaysia

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanyildizi MS, Dursun ö, Murat E (2005) Optimization of α-amylase production by Bacillus sp. using response surface methodology. Process Biochem 40:2291–2297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yigitoglu M (1992) Production of citric acid by fungi. J Islamic Acad Sci 5:100–106

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by a research grant ST-47 approved by the Research Management Center (RMC), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The authors are grateful to the RMC and Department of Biotechnology Engineering, IIUM for supporting and providing the laboratory facilities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioenvironmental Engineering Research Unit (BERU), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Gombak, 50728, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Md. Zahangir Alam, Parveen Jamal & Masrina M. Nadzir

Authors
  1. Md. Zahangir Alam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Parveen Jamal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Masrina M. Nadzir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Md. Zahangir Alam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Alam, M.Z., Jamal, P. & Nadzir, M.M. Bioconversion of palm oil mill effluent for citric acid production: statistical optimization of fermentation media and time by central composite design. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 24, 1177–1185 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9590-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9590-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation