Biological Production of Succinic Acid

Introduction

Succinic acid is a four-carbon dicarboxylic acid (C₄H₆O₄) recognized as one of the top 12 platform chemicals by the U.S. Department of Energy. It serves as a precursor for bioplastics, solvents, food additives, pharmaceuticals, and polymers such as polybutylene succinate (PBS).

Traditionally produced from petrochemical routes (e.g., maleic anhydride hydrogenation), succinic acid is now being increasingly manufactured via biological fermentation, using renewable sugars, glycerol, or even CO₂ as feedstocks. Microbial production of succinic acid offers a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative process and is a critical step in building a bio-based chemical economy.

What Products Are Produced?

• Succinic acid – For bioplastics (PBS), solvents, coatings
• 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) – Via catalytic hydrogenation of succinic acid
• Food additives – Acidity regulator, flavor enhancer
• Pharmaceutical intermediates – For sedatives, antibiotics
• Personal care ingredients – Used in pH balancers, skincare

Pathways and Production Methods

1. Anaerobic Fermentation

• Microbes: Actinobacillus succinogenes, Mannheimia succiniciproducens, Basfia succiniciproducens, engineered E. coli
• Converts glucose, xylose, or glycerol into succinate under anaerobic or CO₂-rich conditions
• Involves reductive branch of the TCA cycle or glyoxylate shunt

Key Reaction:
Glucose + CO₂ → 2 Succinic acid + ATP

2. Aerobic/Two-Stage Processes

• Corynebacterium glutamicum or Yarrowia lipolytica engineered for high titers
• Two-stage process: growth (aerobic) → production (anaerobic/CO₂ fixation)

3. CO₂-Fed Fermentation

• Some microbes utilize bicarbonate or gaseous CO₂ as a co-substrate
• Enhances yield and makes the process carbon-fixing

Catalysts and Key Tools Used

Microorganisms:

• A. succinogenes – Naturally high-yield producer
• Engineered E. coli – With deletions in competing pathways (e.g., lactate, ethanol)
• Y. lipolytica – Efficient glycerol-based succinate producer

Synthetic Biology Tools:

• CRISPR-Cas9 for pathway knockouts (e.g., PFL, LDH)
• Promoter tuning and dynamic flux control
• NADH/NAD⁺ balancing for increased yields
• Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) for acid tolerance

Process Enhancements:

• CO₂ sparging to improve yield
• In situ recovery (e.g., ion exchange, membrane extraction) to avoid product inhibition

Case Study: BioAmber – Industrial Production of Succinic Acid

Highlights

• Engineered E. coli strain with high flux through succinate pathway
• Produced succinic acid from corn-derived glucose
• World’s first commercial plant in Sarnia, Canada (30,000 tonnes/year)
• Demonstrated 40–60% lower GHG emissions vs. petro-based route

Timeline

• 2008 – BioAmber formed as a JV with Cargill
• 2013 – First plant operational in Canada
• 2016 – Achieved 60% bio-content in commercial PBS plastics
• 2018 – Tech assets acquired by LCY Biosciences after BioAmber’s bankruptcy
• 2022 – Plant restarted with updated fermentation lines

Global and Indian Startups Working in This Area

Global

• LCY Biosciences (Canada) – Took over BioAmber’s plant and IP
• Succinity (BASF + Corbion JV) – Glycerol-based succinic acid
• Myriant (USA) – Succinic acid from sorghum
• Reverdia (DSM + Roquette) – S. cerevisiae based process (discontinued)

India

• CSIR-NIIST – Succinic acid from bagasse hydrolysates
• IIT Delhi – Synthetic biology for succinate production in E. coli
• Godavari Biorefineries – Exploring succinate as part of sugar platform biochemicals
• Praan Biosciences – Working on CO₂-to-succinate MES systems

Market and Demand

The global succinic acid market was valued at USD 200 million in 2023, expected to grow to USD 350 million by 2030, with a CAGR of ~7%. Bio-based succinic acid is projected to constitute 40–50% of the total market by 2030.

Major Use Segments:

• Bioplastics (PBS, PBAT)
• Food and beverages (acidity regulators)
• Cosmetics and pharma
• Bio-based polyurethanes and coatings

Key Growth Drivers

• Demand for sustainable plastics like PBS
• Policy incentives for bio-based chemicals (EU, US, India)
• Advances in microbial metabolic engineering
• Increasing use of non-food feedstocks (glycerol, agri-residues)
• Carbon fixation potential with CO₂-enhanced fermentations

Challenges to Address

• Product inhibition at high succinate titers
• Low tolerance of microbes to acidic conditions
• Separation and purification costs due to water solubility
• Need for better CO₂ delivery and pH control
• In India: Limited commercial-scale fermentation capacity for organic acids

Progress Indicators

• 2010–2013 – Commercial plants launched by BioAmber, Myriant
• 2015 – Glycerol-based succinate by Succinity scaled
• 2018 – Indian labs demonstrate lignocellulosic succinate production
• 2022 – Pilot MES systems tested for CO₂-to-succinate
• 2024 – India’s first succinate pilot from sugarcane bagasse underway

Bio-based succinic acid production is at TRL 8–9 globally, with multiple commercial plants. In India, the technology is at TRL 5–6, with significant academic interest and pilot-scale fermentation initiatives.

Conclusion

Biological production of succinic acid exemplifies how metabolic engineering and renewable feedstocks can replace petrochemical processes. As a key platform molecule, succinate connects the green chemical, polymer, and CO₂ utilization industries.

With growing demand for bioplastics and carbon-smart solutions, and India’s push toward circular biomanufacturing, succinic acid stands out as a cornerstone of the future bioeconomy.

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