Microbially catalysed electrosynthesis of succinic acid (eSuccinate)
(German title: Mikrobiell katalysierte Elektrosynthese von Bernsteinsäure (eSuccinat))
The aim is to utilize electrical energy for the microbial production of the plastic monomer succinic acid. The innovative approach of microbial electrosynthesis is being pursued here. Electrical energy is transferred to the microorganism Actinobacillus succinogenes, which also uses renewable raw materials to synthesize the catalysts and the product. The additional redox equivalents (NADH) resulting from the uptake of electrons cause a change in the composition of the metabolic product towards succinic acid. The concept allows the conversion of electrical energy into complex products using the self-replicating whole cell catalyst under very mild reaction conditions (T < 40 °C, pH 7, aqueous solvent). In addition, the requirements for the electrodes and the purity of the liquid phase in microbial electrosynthesis are low, making the process cost-effective.
The technology of microbial electrosynthesis has already been established by the applicants for the production of butanol and has been published several times. The project aims to establish a new, economically relevant bioproduction process and increase the technological maturity of the process. The transfer of the Power2X technology will initially be carried out in small reaction vessels and then transferred to a technical bioreactor. Scalability considerations will be carried out.
| Partner | Lehrgebiet Bioverfahrenstechnik und Downstream Processing (Prof. Nils Tippkötter), FH Aachen |
| Status | Completed project |
| Funding organisation | BMEL/FNR |
| Funding period | 02/2023-01/2026 |
| Funding code | 2221NR021B |
| Employees | Jan-Niklas Hengsbach |
Publications and conference papers
Publications
- J.-N. Hengsbach, M. Engel, M. Cwienczek, J. Stiefelmaier, N. Tippkötter, D. Holtmann, R. Ulber; Scalable unseparated Bioelectrochemical Reactors by using a Carbon Fiber Brush as Stirrer and Working Electrode; ChemElectroChem. (2023) https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202300440
- J. Tix, L. Gotthardt, J. Bode, B. Karabacak, J. Nordmann, J.-N. Hengsbach, R. Ulber, N. Tippkötter; Enhancement of succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes in an electro-bioreactor; Fermentation (2024) https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10100504
- J.-N. Hengsbach, M. Cwienczek, W. Laudensack, J. Stiefelmaier, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Succinic acid production with Actinobacillus succinogenes - Influence of an electrochemical assisted fermentation on the intercellular NADH/NAD+ balance; Engineering in Life Sciences (2024) https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.202400053
- J.-N. Hengsbach, M. Cwienczek, J. Haffelder, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Actinobacillus succinogenes in bioelectrochemical systems – Comparative study of redox mediators; Electrochemistry Communications (2025) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2025.108003
- J. Tix, J.-N. Hengsbach, J. Bode, F. Pedraza, J. Willer, S.J. Park, K.F. Reardon, R. Ulber, N. Tippkötter; Actinobacillus succinogenes in bioelectrochemical systems: Influence of electric potentials and carbon fabric electrodes on fermentation performance; Microorganisms (2025) https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081720
- J. Tix, G. Zimpel, R. Ulber, N. Tippkötter; Increasing the succinate yield in A. succinogenes by fumigation of H2 in Bioreactor; Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining (2025) https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.70072
- J. Tix, F. Predraza, R. Ulber, N. Tippkötter; Enhanced succinate production in Actinobacillus succinogenes via neutral red bypass reduction in a novel bioelectrochemical system; BioTech (2025) https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech14040084
Presentations
- J. Hengsbach, J. Stiefelmaier, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Electrification of fermentations – Increasing production of platform chemicals by combining biotechnology and electrochemistry; DECHEMA Forum (2024); Friedrichshafen, Deutschland
- J. Hengsbach, J. Stiefelmaier, D. Holtmann, R. Ulber; Channeling metabolism towards production of platform chemicals by microbial electro-fermentation; 14th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and 7th European Congress of Applied Biotechnology (2023); Berlin, Deutschland
Poster
- J. Hengsbach, J. Stiefelmaier, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Electrification of Actinobacillus succinogenes fermentations for increased succinic acid production; Himmelfahrtstagung on Bioprocess Engineering 2024 - Novel Strategies and Technologies for Sustainable Bioprocesses and Bioproducts (2024); Regensburg, Deutschland
- J. Hengsbach, J. Stiefelmaier, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Electrification of Actinobacillus succinogenes fermentations for increased succinic acid production; Himmelfahrtstagung on Bioprocess Engineering 2024 - Novel Strategies and Technologies for Sustainable Bioprocesses and Bioproducts (2024); Regensburg, Deutschland
- J. Hengsbach, J. Stiefelmaier, D. Holtmann, R. Ulber; Electrification of fermentation with whole-cell catalysts for production of platform chemicals; Electromicrobiology (2023); Aarhus, Dänemark