Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

An increasing interest in the development of biofuelsis observed that is driven by the needs for the ideas of green chemistry. Huge amounts of crude glycerol are generated during transesterification, a process involved in the generation of biodiesel. Crude glycerol is an excellent carbon source for microorganisms which makes it suitable for production of a variety of value-added bioproducts like 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD). 1,3-PD has a wide range of applications, especially as a monomer in biodegradable polymer synthesis. It is also used as an ingredient in the production of adhesives, cosmetics, detergents, freshness-keeping agents, laminates, resins and solvents. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of various fed- batch strategies on the production of 1,3-PD by Citrobacter freundii AD119. Glycerol was added to the fermentation medium in portions to either maintain its concentration below 10 g/L (first strategy) or above 10 g/L (second strategy), or it was fed continuously. The first strategy allowed to obtain 42 g/L of 1,3-PD in 164,4 hours. Higher final concentration of 1,3-PD (47 g/L) was achieved when glycerol concentration in the culture was main above 10 g/L. The best results, however, were obtained when glycerol addition was coupled with pH regulation and the substrate was fed continuously to the medium. This strategy allowed 55 g/L of 1,3-PD to be produced during 97 hours of fermentation.

Biography

Agnieszka Drożdżyńska is a PhD student at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznań University of Life Sciences. She has been working at Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology since 2007. She is author of 17 papers and numerous posters.