The effect of volatile fatty acids as a sole carbon source on lipid accumulation by Cryptococcus albidus for biodiesel production.
The use of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) for microbial lipid accumulation was investigated in flask cultures of Cryptococcus albidus. The optimum culture temperature and pH were 25°C and pH 6.0, respectively, and the highest lipid content (27.8%) was obtained with ammonia chloride as a nitrogen source. The lipid yield coefficient on VFAs was 0.167 g/g of C. albidus with a VFAs (acetic, propionic, butyric acids) ratio of 8:1:1, which was in good agreement with a theoretically predicted lipid yield coefficient of the VFAs as a carbon source. The major fatty acids of the lipids accumulated by C. albidus were similar to those of soybean oil and jatropha oil. A preliminary cost analysis shows that VFAs-based biodiesel production is competitive with current palm and soybean based biodiesels. Further process development for lower aeration cost and higher lipid yield will make this process more economical.
Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Qiang
Q
Fei
Ho Nam
HN
Chang
Longan
L
Shang
Jin-dal-rae
JD
Choi
Nagjong
N
Kim
JongWon
J
Kang
D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D056804:Biofuels; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D002244:Carbon