Power Solvent Production by Klebsiella pneumoniae Grown on Sugars Present in Wood Hemicellulose

The utilization of sugars present in wood hemicellulose by K. pneumoniae was investigated. Production of 2, 3-butanediol was optimal under anaerobic conditions with all sugars tested, with the exception of D-xylose which appeared to require a finite air supply for maximal diol yield. Anaerobic growth and solvent production of the organism on individual sugars revealed a similar pattern: diol production occurred generally at late exponential phase, concimitant with a culture pH drop, and continued into stationary phase of growth. Solvent yields of 0.69 moles of 2, 3-butanediol and 0.69 moles of ethanol could be obtained per mole of D-glucose fermented anaerobically, while 0.45 moles of diol and 0.34 moles of ethanol were obtained per mole of xylose fermented under conditions of finite air supply.