An immobilized fermentation system, using cassava bagasse hydrolysate (CBH) and mixed alkalis, was developed to achieve economical succinic acid production by Corynebacterium glutamicum. The C. glutamicum strains were immobilized in porous polyurethane filler (PPF). CBH was used efficiently as a carbon source instead of more expensive glucose. Moreover, as a novel method for regulating pH, the easily decomposing NaHCO3 was replaced by mixed alkalis (NaOH and Mg(OH)(2)) for succinic acid production by C. glutamicum. Using CBH and mixed alkalis in the immobilized batch fermentation system, succinic acid productivity of 0.42 g L-1 h(-1) was obtained from 35 g L-1 glucose of CBH, which is similar to that obtained with conventional free-cell fermentation with glucose and NaHCO3. In repeated batch fermentation, an average of 22.5 g L-1 succinic acid could be obtained from each batch, which demonstrated the enhanced stability of the immobilized C. glutamicum cells. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.