Data underlying the project: Co-fermentation of Crotonate and Chain Elongation Substrates Towards Mixed Bioplastic/Organic Waste Recovery

DOI:10.4121/3141faf4-51d4-49f9-a2d2-f3ed01f117ce.v1
The DOI displayed above is for this specific version of this dataset, which is currently the latest. Newer versions may be published in the future. For a link that will always point to the latest version, please use
DOI: 10.4121/3141faf4-51d4-49f9-a2d2-f3ed01f117ce

Datacite citation style

Jin, Yong; de Leeuw, Kasper D.; David P. B. T. B. Strik (2025): Data underlying the project: Co-fermentation of Crotonate and Chain Elongation Substrates Towards Mixed Bioplastic/Organic Waste Recovery. Version 1. 4TU.ResearchData. dataset. https://doi.org/10.4121/3141faf4-51d4-49f9-a2d2-f3ed01f117ce.v1
Other citation styles (APA, Harvard, MLA, Vancouver, Chicago, IEEE) available at Datacite

Dataset

Biobased biodegradable plastics, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and polylactic acids (PLA), are increasingly considered as alternatives to fossil-based plastics. While these materials are primarily promoted for biodegradation in industrial composting or anaerobic digestion facilities, their recycling within more closed material loops remains limited. The carboxylate platform is emerging as a promising approach for valorizing organic waste streams, including the microbial recycling of biodegradable plastics. This study explored fermentation conditions to stimulate open-culture bioprocesses using representative biodegradable plastic monomers and typical organic residual substrates processed within the carboxylate platform. 17 batch experiments were conducted with model substrates, including crotonate, ethanol, lactate, and short-chain monocarboxylates. After 28 days of incubation, single crotonate (100 mM) fermentation primarily yielded 105 ± 4 mM acetate and 41 ± 3 mM n-butyrate. Adding 100 mM short-chain monocarboxylates did not inhibit crotonate conversion at an initial pH of 7.0 but extended conversion time. The co-fermentation of 88 ± 10 mM crotonate, 178 ± 20 mM ethanol, and net supplied 39 ± 8 mM acetate under neutral pH conditions produced the highest yield of n-butyrate at 188 ± 17 mM (i.e., 16.5 ± 1.5 g/L), followed by 11 ± 5 mM n-caproate. Co-fermentation of crotonate, ethanol, and lactate was feasible at an initial pH of 5.5, predominantly yielding acetate and n-butyrate. The thermodynamic analysis further supported the bioenergetic feasibility of crotonate conversion and its co-fermentation with ethanol and lactate and showed ample possibilities to improve the fermentation processes. These findings underscore the potential of open-culture fermentation for converting mixed bioplastic and organic waste into carboxylates.

History

  • 2025-04-30 first online, published, posted

Publisher

4TU.ResearchData

Format

.xlsx,.txt

Funding

  • China Scholarship Council (grant code CSC 202006460010) Yong Jin

Organizations

Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Environmental Technology, Wageningen University and Research

DATA

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