A review on bio-butyric acid production and its optimization

Butyric acid is treated as one of the renewable green fuels of tomorrow due to its high energy content, and it can reduce health and environmental issues including emission of greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change. The production of bio-butyric acid by microbial fermentation is not cost-effective and economically competitive due to its production at a relatively low concentration, yield, and rate. In order to enhance the economics of the fermentation method, the butyrate production should increase using economical substrate, favorable pretreatment techniques, multicultural stains and fermentation conditions. In order for further investigation and improvement in butyric acid production, batch, repeated batch, fed batch and continuous type butyric acid fermentation of biomass have been discussed in this review.