Butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor.
In this study, we report on a butanol production process by immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor (PBR) using Tygon rings as a carrier. The medium was a solution of lactose (15-30 g/L) and yeast extract (3 g/L) to emulate the cheese whey, an abundant lactose-rich wastewater. The reactor was operated under controlled conditions with respect to the pH and to the dilution rate. The pH and the dilution rate ranged between 4 and 5, the dilution rate between 0.54 and 2.4 h(-1) (2.5 times the maximum specific growth rate assessed for suspended cells). The optimal performance of the reactor was recorded at a dilution rate of 0.97 h(-1): the butanol productivity was 4.4 g/Lh and the selectivity of solvent in butanol was 88%(w).
Napoli
Fabio
F
Chemical Engineering Department, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio n. 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
Olivieri
Giuseppe
G
Russo
Maria Elena
ME
Marzocchella
Antonio
A
Salatino
Piero
P
D018441:Biofilms; D019149:Bioreactors; D000440:Butanols / Q000378:metabolism*; D046969:Clostridium acetobutylicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism
D000440:Butanols; D003470:Culture Media; D007785:Lactose