title: Valorization of glycerol through the production of biopolymers: the PHB case using Bacillus megaterium.
abstract: In this work technical and economic analyses were performed to evaluate the glycerol transformation into Polyhydroxybutyrate using Bacillus megaterium. The production of PHB was compared using glycerol or glucose as substrates and similar yields were obtained. The total production costs for PHB generation with both substrates were estimated at an industrial scale. Compared to glucose, glycerol showed a 10% and 20% decrease in the PHB production costs using two different separation schemes respectively. Moreover, a 20% profit margin in the PHB sales price using glycerol as substrate resulted in a 166% valorization of crude glycerol. In this work, the feasibility of glycerol as feedstock for the production of PHB at laboratory (up to 60% PHB accumulation) and industrial (2.6US$/kgPHB) scales is demonstrated.
authors: Instituto de Biotecnología y Agroindustria, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Manizales, Manizales, Colombia.
authors: Javier M
authors: JM
authors: Naranjo
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Posada
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Higuita
authors: Carlos A
authors: CA
authors: Cardona
mesh_terms: D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000191:economics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007220:Industrial Waste; D005947:Glucose; D005990:Glycerol