Hydrolysis of lignocellulose to succinic acid: a review of treatment methods and succinic acid applications

Succinic acid (SA) is an intermediate product of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and is one of the most significant platform chemicals for the production of various derivatives with high added value. Due to the depletion of fossil raw materials and the demand for eco-friendly energy sources, SA biosynthesis from renewable energy sources is gaining attention for its environmental friendliness. This review comprehensively analyzes strategies for the bioconversion of lignocellulose to SA based on the lignocellulose pretreatment processes and cellulose hydrolysis and fermentation principles and highlights the research progress on acid production and SA utilization under different microbial culture conditions. In addition, the fermentation efficiency of different microbial strains for the production of SA and the main challenges were analyzed. The future application directions of SA derivatives were pointed out. It is expected that this research will provide a reference for the optimization of SA production from lignocellulose.