@article { ISI:000322464500002, title = {Biomass to biodegradable polymer (PLA)}, journal = {RSC Advances}, volume = {3}, number = {33}, year = {2013}, month = {JUN}, pages = {13558-13568}, publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY}, address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

Lignocellulosic biomass is renewable and cheap, and it has the potential to displace fossil fuels for the production of fuels and chemicals. Biomass derived lactic acid is an important compound that can be used as a chemical platform for the production of a variety of important chemicals on a large scale. The quality of the monomers of lactic acid and lactide, as well as the chemical changes induced during polymerization and processing, are crucial parameters for controlling the properties of the resulting polylactic acid (PLA) products. In this review, we outline the process of exploiting biomass for the production of polylactic acid, a biodegradable polymer which is well-known as a sustainable bioplastic material.

}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c3ra41592a}, author = {Singhvi, Mamata and Gokhale, Digambar V.} } @article { ISI:000325442600098, title = {Supplementation of medium with diammonium hydrogen phosphate enhanced the D-lactate dehydrogenase levels leading to increased D-lactic acid productivity}, journal = {Bioresource Technology}, volume = {146}, year = {2013}, month = {OCT}, pages = {736-739}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCI LTD}, address = {THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, OXON, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

The production of D-lactic acid by Lactobacillus lactis RM2-24 was investigated using modified media to increase the efficiency of the fermentation process. The results indicated that the addition of 5 g/l peptone and 1 g/l (NH4)(2)HPO4 enhanced D-lactic acid production by 32\%, as compared to that obtained from non supplemented media, with a productivity of 3.0 g/l/h. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression profile in these different media was studied which resulted in appearance of additional LDH isoform produced by cells when they were grown in HSYE supplemented with (NH4)(2)HPO4. The additional LDH appears to be L-LDH contributing to production of L-lactic acid in the fermented broth. This is totally new information in the lactic acid fermentation and could be very useful to industries engaged in D-lactic acid production. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {D(-) lactic acid production, Lactate dehydrogenase, Lactobacillus delbrueckii Uc-3, Lactobacillus lactis RM2-24}, issn = {0960-8524}, doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.057}, author = {Singhvi, Mamata and Jadhav, Akanksha and Gokhale, Digambar V.} } @article { ISI:000346189100055, title = {Biocatalyst development for lactic acid production at acidic pH using inter-generic protoplast fusion}, journal = {RSC Advances}, volume = {5}, number = {3}, year = {2015}, month = {DEC}, pages = {2024-2031}, publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY}, address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

Global warming and environmental problems force us to develop sustainable processes based on the use of biocatalysts that are eco-friendly with the least potential toxicity. Lactic acid fermentation at neutral pH generates a large amount of gypsum during down-stream processing. Hence it is essential to develop Lactobacillus strains which produce lactic acid at acidic pH thus making the whole downstream process environmentally friendly. Fusant F3 was generated using protoplast fusion between Lactobacillus delbrueckii Mut Uc-3 and Acetobacter pasteurianus NCIM 2314 on solid media at pH 4.0. Fusant F3 was further treated by UV irradiation to generate a mutant, FM1, with improvements in acid tolerance which produced five-fold more lactic acid than the parent strain at acidic pH. The molecular studies using RAPD markers demonstrated that the fusant is derived from both the parental strains, Acetobacter and Lactobacillus and the mutant is derived from the fusant. The utilization of such acid tolerant strains could be able to produce free lactic acid at acidic pH without using neutralizing agents and will offer an effective means for designing environmentally benign processes for lactic acid production.

}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c4ra11104d}, author = {Singhvi, Mamata and Gurjar, Gayatri and Gupta, Vidya and Gokhale, Digambar V.} }