Biotechnological production of lactic acid integrated with fishmeal wastewater treatment by Rhizopus oryzae.

Fishmeal wastewater, a seafood processing waste, was utilized for production of lactic acid and fungal biomass by Rhizopus oryzae AS 3.254 with the addition of sugars. The 30 g/l exogenous glucose in fishmeal wastewater was superior to starch in view of productivities of lactic acid and fungal biomass, and COD reduction. Fishmeal wastewater can be a replacement for peptone which was the most suitable nitrogen source for lactic acid production among the tested organic or inorganic nitrogen sources. Exogenous NaCl (12 g/l) completely inhibited the production of lactic acid and fungal growth. In the medium of COD 5,000 mg/l fishmeal wastewater with the addition of 30 g/l glucose, the maximum productivity of lactic acid was 0.723 g/l h corresponding to productivity of fungal biomass 0.0925 g/l h, COD reduction 84.9% and total nitrogen removal 50.3% at a fermentation time of 30 h.