title: Acrylamide synthesis using agar entrapped cells of Rhodococcus rhodochrous PA-34 in a partitioned fed batch reactor.
abstract: The nitrile hydratase (Nhase) induced cells of Rhodococcus rhodochrous PA-34 catalyzed the conversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide. The cells of R. rhodochrous PA-34 immobilized in 2% (w/v) agar (1.76 mg dcw/ml agar matrix) exhibited maximum Nhase activity (8.25 U/mg dcw) for conversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide at 10 degrees C in the reaction mixture containing 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5), 8% (w/v) acrylonitrile and immobilized cells equivalent to 1.12 mg dcw (dry cell weight) per ml. In a partitioned fed batch reaction at 10 degrees C, using 1.12 g dcw immobilized cells in a final volume of 1 l, a total of 372 g of acrylonitrile was completely hydrated to acrylamide (498 g) in 24 h. From the above reaction mixture 87% acrylamide (432 g) was recovered through crystallization at 4 degrees C. By recycling the immobilized biocatalyst (six times), a total of 2,115 g acrylamide was produced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, 171 005, India.
authors.forename: Jog
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Nitya Nand
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Shreenath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Tek Chand
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Bhalla
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000181:Acrylonitrile / Q000378:metabolism; D000362:Agar; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D002384:Catalysis; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism*; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D000362:Agar; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; C048831:nitrile hydratase; D000181:Acrylonitrile