Regulatory effects of carbon and nitrogen nutrition on lipid accumulation by Yarrowia lipolytica cultivated with high-concentration volatile fatty acids

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) derived from organic waste offer promising and cost-effective carbon sources for the production of microbial lipids. This study demonstrates the significant influence of nitrogen nutrition on cell proliferation and microbial lipid synthesis in Yarrowia lipolytica during high-concentration acid cultivation. Further investigations into nitrogen sources revealed that NH₄Cl and urea are suitable options for cultivating Y. lipolytica to produce microbial lipids, resulting in lipid yields ranging from 2.00 to 2.50 g/L. Moreover, pH fluctuations were found to be influenced by both the nitrogen source and acid utilisation, with pH adaptation helping alleviate acid inhibition caused by high-concentration VFAs. Under optimised cultivation conditions, the highest yield of microbial lipids reached 4.00 g/L, accompanied by a dry cell weight of 9.91 g/L and a microbial lipid content of 40.37%, consisting predominantly of C16 ~ 18 fatty acids. These findings highlight the central role of nitrogen metabolism and pH adaptation in enhancing VFA assimilation, offering guidance for cost-effective microbial lipid production from organic waste streams.