Dynamics and Control Strategies for a Butanol Fermentation Process

In this work, mathematical modeling was employed to assess the dynamic behavior of the flash fermentation process for the production of butanol. This process consists of three interconnected units as follows: fermentor, cell retention system (tangential microfiltration), and vacuum flash vessel (responsible for the continuous recovery of butanol from the broth). Based on the study of the dynamics of the process, suitable feedback control strategies [single input/single output (SISO) and multiple input/multiple output (MIMO)] were elaborated to deal with disturbances related to the process. The regulatory control consisted of keeping sugar and/or butanol concentrations in the fermentor constant in the face of disturbances in the feed substrate concentration. Another objective was the maintenance of the proper operation of the flash tank (maintenance of the thermodynamic equilibrium of the liquid and vapor phases) considering that oscillations in the temperature in the tank are expected. The servo control consisted of changes in concentration set points. The performance of an advanced controller, the dynamic matrix control, and the classical proportional-integral controller was evaluated. Both controllers were able to regulate the operating conditions in order to accommodate the perturbations with the lowest possible alterations in the process outputs. However, the performance of the PI controller was superior because it showed quicker responses without oscillations.     

Simultaneous determination of 14 sulfonamides and tetracyclines in biogas plants by liquid-liquid-extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A new method for the analysis of sulfonamides and tetracyclines in heterogenic biogas plant input samples and fermentation residues is introduced. Veterinary antibiotics are only partially absorbed in the animal gut; therefore, animal manure can contain high loads of these substances. Animal manure is used for biogas generation, so antibiotics can enter the anaerobic fermentation process this way. However, only little is known about the fate of antibiotics within this process, also due to the lack of suitable analytical methods for this complex sample matrix. Therefore, we developed a method for the analysis of ten sulfonamides (sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfaguanidine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazol, sulfamethoxypyridazin, sulfapyridine, sulfathiazole) and four tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline) in biogas plant input and output samples, including a single liquid-liquid-extraction step and analysis via liquid chromatography (LC) and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The detection limit of this method ranges from 0.01 to 0.08 mg kg^?1. Matrix calibration using antibiotic-free cattle feces and isotopic-labeled internal standards enables quantification of antibiotics in different matrices such as animal manure, dung, or fermenter outputs with recovery rates between 70 and 130 %. This makes the method suitable for investigating the fate of antibiotics in animal manure and fermentation processes. A screening of 15 German biogas plants revealed the presence of several antibiotics up to 9 mg kg^?1 (201 mg kg^?1 dry matter). During the fermentation process, elimination occurs; however, with the exception of chlortetracycline, the antibiotic content remains in the same order of magnitude.

Some engineering parameters for Propionic acid fermentation coupled with Ultrafiltration

The effect of circulation rate on permeate flux, the energy requirements for heating or cooling, the reactor homogeneity, and cell activity are discussed for a continuous culture system with cell recycle. The fermentation system was a continuous stirred-tank reactor with an ultrafiltration membrane unit for cell recycle. The membranes have a tubular configuration and are composed of a carbon support coated with zirconium oxide. The permeate flux obtained for a long-run fermentation with Propionibacterium acidi-propionici was higher when the circulation rate was increased: 5.13 L/m²-h for a circulation rate of 0.810 m³/h and 7.09 L/m²-h for 1.104 m³/h. The temperature rise inside the fermenter for different circulation rates was studied, allowing determination of the need of input or output of energy for temperature control. Residence time distribution studies showed that, with a circulation rate of 0.606 m³/h, the dead volume was 9.2%, whereas at 1.104 m³/h the reactor behavior was almost ideal. The influence of the circulation rate on loss of cell activity is also discussed, and rheological studies are suggested as an indirect indicator of cell viability. We hereby express our recognition for the ongoing collaborations with James Gaddy (University of Arkansas) and Gerard Goma (INSA, Toulouse, France).     

Thermochromic Color Switching to Temperature Controlled Volatile Memory and Counter Operations with Metal–Organic Complexes and Hybrid Gels

Temperature is often not considered as a precision stimulus for artificial chemical systems in contrast to the host–guest interactions related to many natural processes. Similarly, mimicking multi‐state volatile memory operations using a single molecular system with temperature as a precision stimulus is highly laborious. Here we demonstrate how a mixture of iron(II) chloride and bipyridine can be used as a reversible color‐to‐colorless thermochromic switch and logic operators. The generality of the approach was illustrated using Co^II and Ni^II salts that resulted in color‐to‐color transitions. DMSO gels of these systems, exhibited reversible opaque‐transparency switching. More importantly, optically readable multi‐state volatile memory with temperature as a precision input has been demonstrated. The stored data is volatile and is lost instantaneously upon withdrawal or change of temperature. Simultaneous read‐out at multiple wavelengths results in single‐input/multi‐output sequential logic operations such as data accumulators (counters) leading to volatile memory states. The present system provides access to thermoresponsive materials wherein temperature can be used as a precision stimulus.     

MoCalc: a new graphical user interface for molecular calculations

A new computer program called MoCalc (Molecular Calculations) has been designed to help the computational chemistry practitioner in the task of performing and analyzing molecular calculations. MoCalc is a graphical user interface for the MO calculation programs Gamess and Mopac, and uses Rasmol and Babel for molecule display and file conversion, respectively. In its initial version, MoCalc can execute the following operations: (a) create and handle Gamess and Mopac input files; (b) import any kind of molecular geometry supported by Babel and paste it as Cartesian, internal, or Gaussian-type coordinates on the input file; (c) convert Gamess and Mopac output files to inputs of both programs; (d) edit and validate the keywords that control the Gamess and Mopac calculation procedure; (e) display the input (Mopac) and output (Gamess and Mopac) molecular geometries; (f) run single or multiple (batch) calculations, either interactively or in background; (g) automatically open the output files as soon as the calculation finishes; (h) extract results from the output files, such as energy, charges, dipole, population analysis, wave function, bond orders, and valence analysis, and display them in spreadsheets; (i) calculate reactivity indices derived from the frontier orbital theory and the root-mean-square (rms) deviation of input and output geometries. All the results generated by MoCalc can be promptly transferred to text editors and electronic spreadsheets, which facilitate a detailed subsequent analysis and the publication of the results. MoCalc can also perform graphical and numerical comparative analysis of the some results when more than one output file is loaded. The program was coded in Visual Basic and runs in Windows 95/98/NT4/ME/2000/XP environments.     

Dispersive solid phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid–liquid extraction for the determination of BTEX in soil samples: ant colony optimization–artificial neural network

In this study, dispersive solid phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid–liquid extraction has been developed for the extraction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes isomers (BTEX) in soil samples prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The BTEX were extracted from soil sample into acetonitrile by dispersive solid phase extraction method, and the extract was then used as dispersive solvent in dispersive liquid–liquid extraction procedure. Ant colony optimization–artificial neural network (ACO–ANN) has been employed to develop the model for simulation and optimization of this method. The volume of dispersive solvent, volume of extraction solvent, extraction time, and ultrasonic time were the input variables, while the multiple response function (R_m) of analytes was the output. The optimum operating condition was then determined by ant colony optimization method. At the optimum conditions, the limit of detections of 0.12–0.75 ng g⁻¹ was obtained for the BTEX. The developed procedure was then applied to the extraction and determination of BTEX in the soil samples and one certified soil. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Statistical Optimization of Recycled-Paper Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation Via Central Composite Design

A central composite design of the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to study the effects of temperature, enzyme concentration, and stirring rate on recycled-paper enzymatic hydrolysis. Among the three variables, temperature and enzyme concentration significantly affected the conversion efficiency of substrate, whereas stirring rate was not effective. A quadratic polynomial equation was obtained for enzymatic hydrolysis by multiple regression analysis using RSM. The results of validation experiments were coincident with the predicted model. The optimum conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis were temperature, enzyme concentration, and stirring rate of 43.1 °C, 20 FPU g⁻¹ substrate, and 145 rpm, respectively. In the subsequent simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) experiment under the optimum conditions, the highest 28.7 g ethanol l⁻¹ was reached in the fed-batch SSF when 5% (w/v) substrate concentration was used initially, and another 5% added after 12 h fermentation. This ethanol output corresponded to 77.7% of the theoretical yield based on the glucose content in the raw material.     

Development of continuous fermentation using immobilized yeast cells for wine cooler process development

The continuous wine fermentation process, which employs a newly designed tapered column type bioreactor and immobilized yeast cells (Montrachet 522), was studied and its fermentation performance was compared with batch and suspended cell continuous wine fermentation systems. It was found that a stable continuous culture fermentation process could be maintained for a period of 2–3 mo when the new bioreactor system packed with immobilized yeast cells was employed. The new bioreactor containing immobilized yeast cells performed significantly better than the suspended cell culture system or batch culture. The effluent wine from the continuous fermentor system contained 7.1% (v/v) ethanol and 0.18% (w/v) residual sugar at 0.01 h^-1 dilution rate. The new continuous bioreactor system also gave 17–34 times higher maximum ethanol productivity compared to the conventional batch wine fermentation. At a low dilution rate, 0.01^-1, as high as 92% sugar to ethanol yield was achieved. Based on the results obtained from this study, the possibility of developing a continuous wine cooler fermentation process was demonstrated. A two-stage continuous wine fermentation system may be designed and operated. The grape juice can be fed into the first-stage that is operated at about 0.2 h^-1 dilution rate and the effluent from the first-stage is fed into the second-stage continuous fermentor operated at about 0.01 h^-1 dilution rate. By doing so, a wine cooler can be produced continuously and efficiently, by employing the newly designed tapered column type bioreactor charged with the immobilized yeast cells.     

Kinetic Modeling of Fermentative Production of 1, 3-Propanediol by Klebsiella pneumoniae HR526 with Consideration of Multiple Product Inhibitions

During the fermentative production of 1, 3-propanediol (1,3-PD), the multiple product inhibitions cannot be negligible to accurately describe the kinetics of fermentation process. A kinetic model for fermentative production of 1,3-PD by Klebsiella pneumoniae HR526 with glycerol as carbon source under aerobic condition was proposed. The inhibitions of multiple products including 1,3-PD, 2, 3-butanediol (2,3-BD), acetate, and succinate were considered in the model. It was found that 1,3-PD, 2,3-BD, and acetate showed strong inhibitions to cell growth depending on their concentrations. The kinetic model was relatively accurate to predict the experimental data of batch, fed-batch, and continuous fermentations. The model thus can serve as a tool for further controlling and optimizing the fermentation process.     

Simulation techniques in analytical chemistry. Microcomputer-controlled simulation of the chromatographie process with an analogue computer

An analogue/digital hybrid interface is presented that allows the support of simulations on an analogue computer EAI 380 by a microcomputer PDP 11/34. On this simulation system the peak spreading process of a Chromatographie column was implemented as an example for a simulation of a dynamic process in analytical chemistry. To implement the Chromatographie mass balance equations on the analogue part of the simulation system, only one hardwired stage of a cascade of reactors is necessary. The output values of one analogue simulation step were stored by the microcomputer as intermediate results and were given back as input values during the next analogue simulation step. The simulation process can be seen on a screen and is easily modified by online variation of the simulation parameters.     

Multifunctional Logic in a Photosensitizer with Triple‐Mode Fluorescent and Photodynamic Activity

Herein we describe a photosensitizer (PS) with the capacity to perform multiple logic operations based on a pyrene‐containing phthalocyanine (Pc) derivative. The system presents three output signals (fluorescence at 377 and 683 nm, and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) production), which are dependent on three inputs: two chemical (concentration of dithiothreitol (DTT) and acidic pH) and one physical (visible light above 530 nm for ¹O₂ sensitization). The multi‐input/multioutput nature of this PS leads to single‐, double‐, and triple‐mode activation pathways of its fluorescent and photodynamic functions, through the interplay of various interrelated AND, ID, and INHIBIT gates. Dual fluorescence emissions are potentially useful for orthogonal optical imaging protocols while ¹O₂ is the main reactive species in photodynamic therapy (PDT). We thus expect that this kind of PS logic system will be of great interest for multimodal cellular imaging and therapeutic applications.     

Effect of Nutrients on Fermentation of Pretreated Wheat Straw at very High Dry Matter Content by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Wheat straw hydrolysate produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of hydrothermal pretreated wheat straw at a very high solids concentration of 30% dry matter (w/w) was used for testing the effect of nutrients on their ability to improve fermentation performance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The nutrients tested were MgSO₄ and nitrogen sources; (NH₄)₂SO₄, urea, yeast extract, peptone and corn steep liquor. The fermentation was tested in a separate hydrolysis and fermentation process using a low amount of inoculum (0.33 g kg^?1) and a non-adapted baker’s yeast strain. A factorial screening design revealed that yeast extract, peptone, corn steep liquor and MgSO₄ were the most significant factors in obtaining a high fermentation rate, high ethanol yield and low glycerol formation. The highest volumetric ethanol productivity was 1.16 g kg^?1 h^?1 and with an ethanol yield close to maximum theoretical. The use of urea or (NH₄)₂SO₄ separately, together or in combination with MgSO₄ or vitamins did not improve fermentation rate and resulted in increased glycerol formation compared to the use of yeast extract. Yeast extract was the single best component in improving fermentation performance and a concentration of 3.5 g kg^?1 resulted in high ethanol yield and a volumetric productivity of 0.6 g kg^?1 h^?1.     

Multi‐Input/Multi‐Output Molecular Response System Based on the Dynamic Redox Behavior of 3,3,4,4‐Tetraaryldihydro[5]helicene Derivatives: Reversible Formation/Destruction of Chiral Fluorophore and Modulation of Chiroptical Properties by Solvent Polarity

3,3,4,4‐Tetaaryldihydro[5]helicenes ( 1 ) and 1,1′‐binaphthyl‐2,2′‐diylbis(diarylcarbenium)s ( 2 ²⁺) can be reversibly interconverted upon electron transfer, which is accompanied by a vivid color change (electrochromism) as well as by the formation/cleavage of a C? C bond (“dynamic redox behavior”). Because only the neutral donor 1 exhibits strong fluorescence, electrochemical input can further modify the fluorescent properties of the pair. Due to the configurational stability of the helicity in 1 and axial chirality in 2 ²⁺, the redox reaction of optically pure material proceeds stereospecifically, which induces a chiroptical change such as circular dichroism (CD) as an additional output. The CD spectra of dications 2 ²⁺ exhibit solvent dependency (chiro‐solvatochromism), which is accompanied by solvatochromic behavior based on the π–π interaction of the two cationic chromophores as well as coordinative interaction of the Lewis basic solvent to the Lewis acidic triarylcarbenium moieties. Thus, the present system is endowed with multi‐input functionality for modifying multiple output signals.     

A Multi-component All-DNA Biosensing System Controlled by a DNAzyme

We report on a programmable all-DNA biosensing system that centers on the use of a 4-way junction (4WJ) to transduce a DNAzyme reaction into an amplified signal output. A target acts as a primary input to activate an RNA-cleaving DNAzyme, which then cleaves an RNA-containing DNA substrate that is designed to be a component of a 4WJ. The formation of the 4WJ controls the release of a DNA output that becomes an input to initiate catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), which produces a second DNA output that controls assembly of a split G-quadruplex as a fluorescence signal generator. The 4WJ can be configured to produce either a turn-off or turn-on switch to control the degree of CHA, allowing target concentration to be determined in a quantitative manner. We demonstrate this approach by creating a sensor for E. coli that could detect as low as 50 E. coli cells mL⁻¹ within 85 min and offers an amplified bacterial detection method that does not require a protein enzyme.     

Extractive Fermentation of Xylanase from Aspergillus tamarii URM 4634 in a Bioreactor

Of the many reported applications for xylanase, its use as a food supplement has played an important role for monogastric animals, because it can improve the utilisation of nutrients. The aim of this work was to produce xylanase by extractive fermentation in an aqueous two-phase system using Aspergillus tamarii URM 4634, increasing the scale of production in a bioreactor, partially characterising the xylanase and evaluating its influence on monogastric digestion in vitro. Through extractive fermentation in a bioreactor, xylanase was obtained with an activity of 331.4 U mL^?1 and 72 % yield. The xylanase was stable under variable pH and temperature conditions, and it was optimally active at pH 3.6 and 90 °C. Xylanase activity potentiated the simulation of complete monogastric digestion by 6 %, and only Mg²⁺ inhibited its activity. This process provides a system for efficient xylanase production by A. tamarii URM 4634 that has great potential for industrial use.     

Cyclic Voltammetric Response of Tetrathiafulvalene-Glucose Oxidase-Modified Electrode and Results for Digital Simulation

Abstract

An amperometric enzyme electrode for the determination of glucose (<16mmol^?1) is constructed by incorporating electron mediators tetrathiafulvalene in Nafion and subsequently coating with immobilized glucose oxidase. The results obtained from measurements of glucose in fermentation samples containing biomass or molasses indicate the utility of the electrode for glucose assay in such media over at least 12 weeks. Digital simulation is employed to study the cyclic voltammetry (CV) of Tetrathiafulvalene-Glucose Oxidase-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode (TTF-GOD-GCE); the digital model is built and the effects of kinetic parameters on CV-curves are discussed. The response process of the Tetrathiafulvalene-Glucose Oxidase-Modified Electrode is partly explained by the simulation results and further research is expected to guide the design of biosensors and improve the properties of the enzyme-mediator modified electrode.     

Efficiency of a fixed-bed and a gas-lift three-column reactor for continuous production of ethanol by pectate-and alginate-immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

Ethanol-tolerant and thermo-tolerant yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae C11-3 cells immobilized in calcium pectate and calcium alginate gels were used for ethanol fermentation in a three-reactor system with a gradient temperature control. The fermentation process has been tested in a fixed-bed and a gas-lift arrangement. The gas-lift system was more efficient due to a better mass transport between the phases. Abrasion was more evident in calcium alginate particles, while calcium pectate beads were not significantly damaged. Two different concentrations of alginate were tested and calcium pectate gel was demonstrated to be more suitable as an immobilization material in comparison with calcium alginate due to its mechanical resistance and favourable diffusion parameters, providing an ethanol production of more than 7.5 g dm⁻³ h⁻¹ over a period of 630 h.     

Effectively Converting Cane Molasses into 2,3-Butanediol Using Clostridium ljungdahlii by an Integrated Fermentation and Membrane Separation Process

Firstly, 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) is a chemical platform used in several applications. However, the pathogenic nature of its producers and the expensive feedstocks used limit its scale production. In this study, cane molasses was used for 2,3-BDO production by a nonpathogenic Clostridium ljungdahlii. It was found that cane molasses alone, without the addition of other ingredients, was favorable for use as the culture medium for 2,3-BDO production. Compared with the control (i.e., the modified DSMZ 879 medium), the differential genes are mainly involved in the pathways of carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, and amino acid metabolism in the case of the cane molasses alone. However, when cane molasses alone was used, cell growth was significantly inhibited by KCl in cane molasses. Similarly, a high concentration of sugars (i.e., above 35 g/L) can inhibit cell growth and 2,3-BDO production. More seriously, 2,3-BDO production was inhibited by itself. As a result, cane molasses alone with an initial 35 g/L total sugars was suitable for 2,3-BDO production in batch culture. Finally, an integrated fermentation and membrane separation process was developed to maintain high 2,3-BDO productivity of 0.46 g·L⁻¹·h⁻¹. Meanwhile, the varied fouling mechanism indicated that the fermentation properties changed significantly, especially for the cell properties. Therefore, the integrated fermentation and membrane separation process was favorable for 2,3-BDO production by C. ljungdahlii using cane molasses.     

A Multi‐component All‐DNA Biosensing System Controlled by a DNAzyme

We report on a programmable all‐DNA biosensing system that centers on the use of a 4‐way junction (4WJ) to transduce a DNAzyme reaction into an amplified signal output. A target acts as a primary input to activate an RNA‐cleaving DNAzyme, which then cleaves an RNA‐containing DNA substrate that is designed to be a component of a 4WJ. The formation of the 4WJ controls the release of a DNA output that becomes an input to initiate catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), which produces a second DNA output that controls assembly of a split G‐quadruplex as a fluorescence signal generator. The 4WJ can be configured to produce either a turn‐off or turn‐on switch to control the degree of CHA, allowing target concentration to be determined in a quantitative manner. We demonstrate this approach by creating a sensor for E. coli that could detect as low as 50 E. coli cells mL^?1 within 85 min and offers an amplified bacterial detection method that does not require a protein enzyme.     

Alcoholic Fermentation with Flocculant Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Fed-Batch Process

Studies have been conducted on selecting yeast strains for use in fermentation for ethanol production to improve the performance of industrial plants and decrease production costs. In this paper, we study alcoholic fermentation in a fed-batch process using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain with flocculant characteristics. Central composite design (CCD) was used to determine the optimal combination of the variables involved, with the sucrose concentration of 170 g/L, a cellular concentration in the inoculum of 40 % (v/v), and a filling time of 6 h, which resulted in a 92.20 % yield relative to the theoretical maximum yield, a productivity of 6.01 g/L h and a residual sucrose concentration of 44.33 g/L. With some changes in the process such as recirculation of medium during the fermentation process and increase in cellular concentration in the inoculum after use of the CCD was possible to reduce the residual sucrose concentration to 2.8 g/L in 9 h of fermentation and increase yield and productivity for 92.75 % and 9.26 g/L h, respectively. A model was developed to describe the inhibition of alcoholic fermentation kinetics by the substrate and the product. The maximum specific growth rate was 0.103 h^?1, with K _I and K _s values of 109.86 and 30.24 g/L, respectively. The experimental results from the fed-batch reactor show a good fit with the proposed model, resulting in a maximum growth rate of 0.080 h^?1.