This study aims to produce succinic acid from glycerol residue through anaerobic fermentation process. The optimum condition of pH, mass substrate, and temperature was determined using response surface methodology (RSM). The concentration of glycerol and succinic acid were determined using HPLC analysis. The FTIR spectrometry was applied to examine the adsorption of organic element. Optimization of fermentation condition using RSM yielded glycerol of 159.312 g/L at pH 2, 35 °C, and 110.36 g of substrate. Succinic acid was the product of fermentation by Escherichia coli type k-12 under 19.67 g/L initial glycerol concentration, 200 rpm rotational speed, and 37 °C. The fermentation with treated glycerol generated 0.66983 g/L of succinic acid, compared to commercial glycerol which generated 0.73337 g/L of succinic acid. Overall, this research show that glycerol waste can be used as the carbon source to produce succinic acid by implementing fermentation of Escherichia coli type k-12. From the fermentation process, succinic acid was not the major product. Further study in genetic modification of Escherichia coli is highly suggested to produce succinic acid as the major product, as well as to improve the fermentation process.

The increase in the price of commercial succinic acid has necessitated the need for its synthesis from waste materials such as glycerol. Glycerol residue is a waste product of Oleochemical production which is cheaply available and a very good source of carbon. The use of immobilized cells can further reduce the overall cost of the production process. This study primarily aims to produce succinic acid from glycerol residue through the use of immobilized Escherichia coli in a batch fermentation process. The parameters which affect bacterial fermentation process such as the mass substrate, temperature, inoculum size and duration of fermentation were screened using One-Factor-At-a-Time (OFAT) method. The result of the screening process shows that a substrate (glycerol) concentration of 30 g, inoculum size 20% v/v, and time 4 h produced the maximum succinic acid concentration of 117.99 g/L. The immobilized cells were found to be stable as well as retain their fermentative ability up to the 6 th cycle of recycling, thereby presenting as an advantage over the free cell system. Therefore, conclude that using immobilized cells can contribute immensely to the cost-effective production of succinic acid from glycerol residue.