Evaluation of the Potential of <i>Corynebacterium glutamicum</i> ATCC 21492 for L-Lysine Production Using Glucose Derived from Textile Waste

The textile industry generates millions of tons of waste annually, posing significant environmental challenges. Addressing this issue, our study explores a sustainable biotechnological approach to convert cotton textile waste into valuable bioproducts. We evaluated the potential of <i>Corynebacterium glutamicum</i> ATCC 21492 for the production of L-lysine and other amino acids using glucose derived from cotton textile waste. Two experimental strategies were implemented: Sequential Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) and Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF). In SHF, optimization of initial glucose concentration, temperature, and inoculum size led to the highest L-lysine concentration of 2.38 g/L under conditions of 45 g/L glucose, 35 °C, and 2% inoculum. The production of L-lysine, along with varying proportions of other amino acids such as alanine, threonine, methionine, and leucine, was significantly influenced by these parameters. In SSF, the highest L-lysine yield of 3.10 mg/g untreated cotton was achieved at 14% cotton loading, 7% enzyme dose, 35 °C, and 10% inoculum concentration, corresponding to an L-lysine concentration of 0.5 g/L. This reduced concentration, compared to SHF, is primarily attributed to limitations in cotton hydrolysis under the studied conditions. Nevertheless, <i>C. glutamicum</i> utilized alternative carbon sources present in the culture medium, leading to a diversified amino acid profile in the final product. These findings support the feasibility of textile waste bioconversion using <i>C. glutamicum</i> and highlight its potential as a sustainable platform for amino acid production, aligning with circular economy principles and contributing to the reduction of the textile industry’s environmental impact.