Citric acid production from raw glycerol by acetate mutants of Yarrowia lipolytica

Three acetate mutants of the yeast species Yarrowia lipolytica were screened using batch cultivation. The strain Y. lipolytica 1.31 was found to be the most suitable for citric acid production from raw glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production from rapeseed oil. At the initial concentration of glycerol of 200 g dm⁻³, the citric acid production of 124.5 g dm⁻³, yield of 0.62 g g⁻¹, and productivity of 0.88 g dm⁻³ h⁻¹ were achieved. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Optimization of ammonium nitrate concentration in single-stage continuous cultures of Aspergillus niger with biomass retention

The effect of ammonium nitrate concentration in the citric acid biosynthesis by Aspergillus niger NC-12 in single-stage continuous cultures with biomass retention was investigated. Experiments were carried out in a BIOMER laboratory fermenter with 5 dm³ working volume. At the initial stage of each cultivation, the substrate in the bioreactor contained 1.5 g NH₄NO₃ dm⁻³. After 120 h onwards, the bioreactor was fed continuously at a constant dilution rate of 0.009 h⁻¹. NH₄NO₃ concentration in the feed was varied from one culture to another, ranging between 0.5 g dm⁻³ and 2.5 g dm⁻³. Promising results were obtained when NH₄NO₃ concentration of 1.5 g dm⁻³ was used. The observed concentration of citric acid (c _P) and yield of citric acid with respect to the introduced sucrose (Y _P/S) were 117.88 g dm⁻³ and 78.59 %, respectively. The efficiency coefficient of citric acid biosynthesis (K _ef) was very high, amounting to 83.38. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Continuous production of citric acid from raw glycerol by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> in cell recycle cultivation

The kinetics of continuous citric acid (CA) fermentation, using two acetate-negative mutants of Yarrowia lipolytica (Wratislavia AWG7 and Wratislavia 1.31) with long-term cell recycle, were investigated at a dilution rate (D) of 0.011 h⁻¹. The capacity of the mutants to produce CA from raw glycerol under steady state conditions was compared. The process involving the Wratislavia AWG7 strain showed that this strain was a better producer of CA than the Wratislavia 1.31 strain in this regime. In steady state, the concentration of CA in the effluent was constant and amounted to 116 g dm⁻³. This corresponded to a volumetric CA production rate of 1.3 g dm⁻³ h⁻¹. A stable high-level production of CA was maintained for over 400 h of operation. The Wratislavia AWG7 strain employed remained highly stable throughout the experiment and demonstrated good viability, high genetic and phenotypic stability over the long-term continuous fermentation process.     

Effect of operating conditions on biomass growth during citric acid production by solid-state fermentation

The effect of aeration, agitation, and bed loading on biomass and product concentration during citric acid biosynthesis by solid-state fermentation was investigated. For this purpose, Aspergillus niger S was cultivated on sugar beet pulp in a 4.5 dm³ horizontal rotating drum bioreactor. The results suggest that the parameters examined have a remarkable effect on the quantity of biomass being formed and on the product concentration. The maximum citric acid production (about 150 g per kg of the substrate dry matter) was obtained under the following conditions: aeration rate 0.2 dm³ kg⁻¹ min⁻¹, mixing (periodical) 1 min once an hour, and bed loading 30 % of the bioreactor working volume. However, these values did not favour biomass formation. Moreover, it was found that accumulation of the product reached its maximum when the amount of biomass was minimal (approximately 252-29 g per kg of the substrate dry matter) under the conditions involved. Presented at the 34th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 21–25 May 2007.     

Effect of span 20 concentration on oxalic acid production from post-refining fatty acids by Aspergillus niger XP

Submerged fermentation experiments were carried out to study the stimulating effects of the surfactant Span 20 on the growth of Aspergillus niger XP mutant and oxalic acid production from the post-refining fatty acids. Span 20 concentration of 0.75 g dm⁻³ was found to be the most suitable for oxalic acid production from fatty acids. Using this dose and a fermentation medium containing 30 g dm⁻³ of post-refining fatty acids, the oxalic acid production, oxalate yield, and overall oxalate productivity were the highest. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Variable Volume Fed-Batch Fermentation for Nisin Production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus lactis</Emphasis> subsp<Emphasis Type="Italic">. lactis W28</Emphasis>

A feeding technology that was suitable for improving the nisin production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis W28 was established. The effects of initial sucrose concentration (ISC) in the fermentation broth, feeding time, and feeding rate on the fermentation were studied. It was observed that a fed-batch culture (ISC = 10 g l⁻¹) with 100 ml sucrose solution (190 g l⁻¹) being evenly fed (9–10 ml h⁻¹) into the fermenter after 3-h fermentation gave the best performance in terms of biomass and nisin yield. Under these conditions, the total biomass and the total nisin yield were approximately 23% and 51% higher than those in batch fermentation, respectively. When the sucrose concentration was controlled at 5–10 g l⁻¹ in variable volume intermittent fed-batch fermentation (VVIF) with ISC = 10 g l⁻¹, the total biomass and the total nisin yield were 29% and 60% above those in batch fermentation, respectively. The VVIF proved to be effective to eliminate the substrate inhibition by maintaining sucrose at appropriate levels. It is also easy to be scaled up, since various parameters involved in industrial production were taken into account.     

Efficient utilization of inulin and glycerol as fermentation substrates in erythritol and citric acid production using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> expressing inulinase

Inulin and glycerol were used as substrates for efficient erythritol and citric acid production by newly engineered Yarrowia lipolytica strains. Hydrolysis of inulin by the Y. lipolytica Wratislavia K1 strain was established by expressing the Kluyveromyces marxianus INU1 gene. Erythritol was produced in two stages: inulin was used for biomass formation, followed by erythritol biosynthesis initiated by glycerol addition. The highest titer of erythritol obtained, 120.9 g L^?1 with the yield of 0.6 g g^?1, was produced by the K1 INU 6 strain. Moreover, the K1 INU 6 strain in fed-batch culture produced a high amount of citric acid: 105.2 g L^?1 after 235 h from 200 g L^?1 of inulin. Maximum activity of inulinase during this culture was 14000 U g^?1 of cell dry mass. The presented study proves the potential of new Y. lipolytica transformants for efficient erythritol and citric acid production from inexpensive raw materials such as inulin and glycerol.     

Evaluation of Cashew Apple Juice for the Production of Fuel Ethanol

A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used for the production of ethanol by fermentation of cashew apple juice. Growth kinetics and ethanol productivity were calculated for batch fermentation with different initial sugar (glucose + fructose) concentrations. Maximal ethanol, cell, and glycerol concentrations were obtained when 103.1 g L⁻¹ of initial sugar concentration was used. Cell yield (Y _X/S) was calculated as 0.24 (g microorganism)/(g glucose + fructose) using cashew apple juice medium with 41.3 g L⁻¹ of initial sugar concentration. Glucose was exhausted first, followed by fructose. Furthermore, the initial concentration of sugars did not influence ethanol selectivity. These results indicate that cashew apple juice is a suitable substrate for yeast growth and ethanol production.     

Effect of Constant Glucose Feeding on the Production of Exopolysaccharides by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tremella fuciformis</Emphasis> Spores

A fed-batch culture system with constant feeding (glucose 80 g L⁻¹, 0.25 ml min⁻¹) was used to study the influence of glucose on cell dry weight and exopolysaccharides production from submerged Tremella fuciformis spores in a 5-L stirred-tank bioreactor. The results showed that high levels of cell mass (9.80 g L⁻¹) and exopolysaccharides production (3.12 g L⁻¹) in fed-batch fermentation were obtained after 1 h of feeding, where the specific growth rate (μ) and exopolysaccharides yield on substrate consumed (YP/S) were 0.267 d⁻¹ and 0.14 g g⁻¹. Unlike batch fermentation, maximal cell mass and exopolysaccharides production merely reached 7.11 and 2.08 g L⁻¹; the specific growth rate (μ) and exopolysaccharides yield on substrate consumed (YP/S) were 0.194 d⁻¹ and 0.093 g g⁻¹, respectively. It is concluded that the synthesis of exopolysaccharides can be promoted effectively when feeding glucose at a late exponential phase.     

Hydrolysis of titanium sulphate compounds

The influence of TiOSO₄ and free sulphuric acid concentrations in the starting solution on the degree of titanyl sulphate conversion to hydrated titanium dioxide and post-hydrolytic sulphuric acid was studied. Titanyl sulphate solution, an intermediate product in the commercial preparation of titanium dioxide pigments by sulphate route, was used. It was found that the degree of hydrolysis markedly depends on the studied parameters. The lower was the content of TiOSO₄ in the starting solution, the higher conversion was achieved. The degree of hydrolysis at the final stage varied between 81 % (420 g TiOSO₄ dm⁻³, 216 g H₂SO₄ dm⁻³) and 92 % (300 g TiOSO₄ dm⁻³, 216 g H₂SO₄ dm⁻³). The same relation was obtained when changing the concentration of free H₂SO₄ in the starting solution. The degree of hydrolysis at the final stage varied between 49 % (261 g H₂SO₄ dm⁻³, 340 g TiOSO₄ dm⁻³) and 96 % (136 g H₂SO₄ dm⁻³, 340 g TiOSO₄ dm⁻³). The particle size of the obtained hydrated titanium dioxide (HTD) also depends on the initial solution composition. Presented at the 34th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 21–25 May 2007.     

Unusual rate inhibition of manganese(II) assisted oxidation of citric acid by chromium(VI) in the presence of ionic micelles

The kinetics and mechanism of citric acid oxidation by Cr^VI; catalyzed by Mn^II, has been studied in H₂O and in the presence of anionic and cationic surfactants. A linear correlation between k _obs ⁻¹ and [Mn^II]⁻¹ was found, satisfying the Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The rate-determining step is the decomposition of complex HCrO₄–citric acid–Mn^II formed between citric acid–Mn^II and Cr^VI. Based on kinetic data, a one-step three-electron oxidation mechanism has been proposed. The rate decreased with increase in concentration of the cationic surfactants cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB), while anionic sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) had no effect on the rate. The data have been interpreted in terms of reaction in the aqueous phase. The effect of added anions, such as chloride, bromide, nitrate, and sulphate, has been studied and discussed. The activation parameters (ΔH ^‡ and ΔS ^‡) were significantly affected by the presence of 10.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ of CTAB or CPB. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Application of a pH Feedback-Controlled Substrate Feeding Method in Lactic Acid Production

Substrate concentration in lactic acid fermentation broth could not be controlled well by traditional feeding methods, including constant, intermittent, and exponential feeding methods, in fed-batch experiments. A simple feedback feeding method based on pH was proposed to control pH and substrate concentration synchronously to enhance lactic acid production in fed-batch culture. As the linear relationship between the consumption amounts of alkali and that of substrate was concluded during lactic acid fermentation, the alkali and substrate in the feeding broth were mixed together proportionally. Thus, the concentration of substrate could be controlled through the adjustment of pH automatically. In the fed-batch lactic acid fermentation with Lactobacillus lactis-11 by this method, the residual glucose concentration in fermentation broth was controlled between 4.1 and 4.9 g L⁻¹, and the highest concentration of lactic acid, maximum cell dry weight, volumetric productivity of lactic acid, and yield were 96.3 g L⁻¹, 4.7 g L⁻¹, 1.9 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 0.99 g lactic acid per gram of glucose, respectively, compared to 82.7 g L⁻¹, 3.31 g L⁻¹, 1.7 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 0.92 g lactic acid per gram of glucose in batch culture. This feeding method was simple and easily operated and could be feasible for industrial lactic acid production in the future.     

Ion-pair formation in the outer-sphere electron transfer reactions between tris-(1, 10) phenanthroline iron(II) and the halopentacyanocobaltate(III) complexes in aqueous acidic solutions

The kinetics of the reactions between Fe(phen) ₃ ²⁺ [phen = tris–(1,10) phenanthroline] and Co(CN)₅X³⁻ (X = Cl, Br or I) have been investigated in aqueous acidic solutions at I = 0.1 mol dm⁻³ (NaCl/HCl). The reactions were carried out at a fixed acid concentration ([H⁺] = 0.01 mol dm⁻³) and the second-order rate constants for the reactions at 25 °C were within the range of (0.151–1.117) dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. Ion-pair constants K _ip for these reactions, taking into consideration the protonation of the cobalt complexes, were 5.19 × 10⁴, 3.00 × 10² and 4.02 × 10⁴ mol⁻¹ dm⁻³ for X = Cl, Br and I, respectively. Activation parameters measured for these systems were as follows: ΔH* (kJ K⁻¹ mol⁻¹) = 94.3 ± 0.6, 97.3 ± 1.0 and 109.1 ± 0.4; ΔS* (J K⁻¹) = 69.1 ± 1.9, 74.9 ± 3.2 and 112.3 ± 1.3; ΔG* (kJ) = 73.7 ± 0.6, 75.0 ± 1.0 and 75.7 ± 0.4; E _a (kJ) = 96.9 ± 0.3, 99.8 ± 0.4, and 122.9 ± 0.3; A (dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = (7.079 ± 0.035) × 10¹⁶, (1.413 ± 0.011) × 10¹⁷, and (9.772 ± 0.027) × 10²⁰ for X = Cl, Br, and I respectively. An outer – sphere mechanism is proposed for all the reactions.     

Compactin Production Studies Using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium brevicompactum</Emphasis> Under Solid-State Fermentation Conditions

In the present study, compactin production by Penicillium brevicompactum WA 2315 was optimized using solid-state fermentation. The initial one factor at a time approach resulted in improved compactin production of 905 μg gds⁻¹ compared to initial 450 μg gds⁻¹. Subsequently, nutritional, physiological, and biological parameters were screened using fractional factorial and Box–Behnken design. The fractional factorial design studied inoculum age, inoculum volume, pH, NaCl, NH₄NO₃, MgSO₄, and KH₂PO₄. All parameters were found to be significant except pH and KH₂PO₄. The Box–Behnken design studied inoculum volume, inoculum age, glycerol, and NH₄NO₃ at three different levels. Inoculum volume (p = 0.0013) and glycerol (p = 0.0001) were significant factors with greater effect on response. The interaction effects were not significant. The validation study using model-defined conditions resulted in an improved yield of 1,250 μg gds⁻¹ compactin. Further improvement in yield was obtained using fed batch mode of carbon supplementation. The feeding of glycerol (20% v/v) on day 3 resulted in further improved compactin yield of 1,406 μg gds⁻¹. The present study demonstrates that agro-industrial residues can be successfully used for compactin production, and statistical experiment designs provide an easy tool to improve the process conditions for secondary metabolite production.     

Profile distribution of As(III) and As(V) species in soil and groundwater in Bozanta area

The profile distribution of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) species in soil and groundwater was investigated in the samples collected in 2005 from a hand-drilled well, in the Bozanta area, Baia Mare region, Romania. The total content of arsenic in the soil was in the range of 525–672 mg kg⁻¹ exceeding 21–27 times the action trigger level for sensitive soil. 0.9–11.3 % of the total content was soluble in water, 83.0–92.6 % in 10 mol dm⁻³ HCl and 2.6–13.3 % was the residual fraction. Arsenic(V) was the dominant arsenic species in the soil in the range of 405–580 mg kg⁻¹. The distribution and mobility of arsenic species was governed by soil pH and contents of Al, Fe, and Mn. The mobility of arsenic(V) decreased with depth, while that of arsenic(III) was high at the surface and in the proximity of groundwater. The total concentration of arsenic in groundwater was (43.40 ± 1.70) μg dm⁻³, which exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 μg dm⁻³. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Erythritol biosynthesis from glycerol by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> yeast: effect of osmotic pressure

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of osmotic pressure, regulated by an addition of different NaCl concentrations, on the production parameters and activity of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of erythritol from glycerol by Yarrowia lipolytica yeast. In the bioreactor batchcultures, strain A-3 was able to produce from 25.3 g dm^?3 to 84.7 g dm^?3 of erythritol from 150 g dm^?3 of glycerol depending on the initial osmotic pressure. At the osmolality of 4.2 mol kg^?3 or higher, a long lag-phase was observed. An enhancement of the production parameters was observed in a culture with the osmotic pressure maintained at an equal level by a step-wise addition of NaCl. The two-hour exposure of strain A-3 cells to 75 g dm^?3 of NaCl resulted in decreased activity of glycerol kinase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by about 78 % and 25 %, respectively. The activity of transketolase and erythrose reductase remained unchanged after the salt addition. It was demonstrated that assimilation of glycerol was effective at lower osmotic pressures and that transketolase and erythrose reductase played a significant role in the erythritol formation in Y. lipolytica.     

Succinic Acid Production from Cheese Whey using Actinobacillus succinogenes 130 Z

Actinobacillus succinogenes 130 Z was used to produce succinic acid from cheese whey in this study. At the presence of external CO₂ supply, the effects of initial cheese whey concentration, pH, and inoculum size on the succinic acid production were studied. The by-product formation during the fermentation process was also analyzed. The highest succinic acid yield of 0.57 was obtained at initial cheese whey concentration of 50 g/L, while the highest succinic acid productivity of 0.58 g h⁻¹ L⁻¹ was obtained at initial cheese whey concentration of 100 g/L. Increase in pH and inoculum size caused higher succinic acid yield and productivity. At the preferred fermentation condition of pH 6.8, inoculum size of 5% and initial cheese whey concentration of 50 g/L, succinic acid yield of 0.57, and productivity of 0.44 g h⁻¹ L⁻¹ were obtained. Acetic acid and formic acid were the main by-products throughout the fermentation run of 48 h. It is feasible to produce succinic acid using lactose from cheese whey as carbon resource by A. succinogenes 130 Z.     

Intermediate and ion-pair formation in the outer-sphere reactions between azido-pentacyanocobaltate(III) and iron(II) polypyridyl complexes in aqueous medium

The kinetics of the reactions between azido-pentacyanocobaltate(III), Co(CN)₅N₃ ³⁻, and iron(II) polypyridyl complexes, Fe(LL)₃ ²⁺ (LL = bipy, phen), have been studied in both neutral and acidic aqueous solutions at I = 0.1 mol dm⁻³ NaCl. The reactions were carried out under pseudo-first-order conditions in which the concentration of Fe(LL)₃ ²⁺ was kept constant, and the second-order rate constants obtained for the reactions at 35 °C were within the range of 0.156–0.219 dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for LL = bipy and 0.090–0.118 dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for LL = phen. Activation parameters were measured for these systems. The dependence of reaction rates on acid was studied in the range [H⁺] = 0.001–0.008 mol dm⁻³. The reaction in acid medium shows interesting kinetics. Two reactive species were identified in acid medium, namely, the protonated cobalt complex and the azido-bridged binuclear complex. The electron-transfer process is proposed to go by mixed outer- and inner-sphere mechanisms in acid medium, in which electron transfer through the bridged inner-sphere complex (k ₅) is slower than through the outer-sphere path (k ₄). Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Continuous production of succinic acid by a fumarate-reducing bacterium immobilized in a hollow-fiber bioreactor

Enterococcus faecalis RKY1, a fumarate-reducing bacterium, was immobilized in an asymmetric hollow-fiber bioreactor (HFBR) for the continuous production of succinic acid. The cells were inoculated into the shell side of the HFBR, which was operated in transverse mode. Since the pH values in the HFBR declined during continuous operation to about 5.7, it was necessary to change the feed pH from 7.0 to 8.0 after 24 h of operation in order to enhance production of succinic acid. During continuous operation with a medium containing fumarate and glycerol, the productivity of succinate was 3.0–10.9 g/(L·h) with an initial concentration of 30 g/L of fumarate, 4.9–14.9 g/(L·h) with 50 g/L of fumarate, and 7.2–17.1 g/(L·h) with 80 g/L of fumarate for dilution rates between 0.1 and 0.4 h⁻¹. The maximum productivity of succinate obtained by the HFBR (17.1 g of succinate /[L·h]) was 1.7 times higher than that of the batch bioconversions (9.9 g of succinate /[L·h]) with 80 g/L of fumarate. Furthermore, the long-term stability of the HFBR was demonstrated with a continuously efficient production of succinate for more than 15 d (360 h).     

Speciation analysis of inorganic antimony in soil using HPLC-ID-ICP-MS

Speciation analysis of Sb(III) and Sb(V) in a soil sample was performed through extraction and on-line isotope dilution concentration determination after a chromatographic separation. The total Sb concentration found in a through traffic contaminated soil sample was (4.17 μg g⁻¹, 0.3 μg g⁻¹ SD, n=6). It was determined using ICP-MS after soil digestion using the sodium peroxide sintering method. The optimized extraction procedure for speciation analysis was carried out using 100 mmol L⁻¹ citric acid at pH 2.08 by applying an ultrasonic bath for 45 min at room temperature. The effects of citric acid concentration (0–500 mmol L⁻¹), pH (1–6), and temperature (30–60°C) on inorganic antimony species distribution in the examined sample were studied and optimized. The separation of Sb(III) and Sb(V) was achieved using an anion exchange column (PRP-X100) and 10 mmol L⁻¹ EDTA and 1 mmol L⁻¹ phthalic acid at pH 4.5 as a mobile phase. The eluent from the HPLC was mixed with an enriched (94.2%) ¹²³Sb spike solution that was pumped by a peristaltic pump with a constant flow rate (0.5 mL min⁻¹) in a three-way valve. The blend passed directly to the Conikal nebulizer of the ICP-MS. By using the above extraction procedure and methodology, 43.2% Sb(V) (2.9% RSD, n=3) and 6.0% Sb(III) (1.3% RSD, n=3) of total Sb found in the sample could be detected. The detection limits achieved by the proposed method were 20 ng L⁻¹ and 65 ng L⁻¹ for Sb(V) and Sb(III), respectively. The precision, evaluated by using RSD with 100 ng L⁻¹ calibration solutions, was 2.7% and 3.2% (n=6) for Sb(V) and Sb(III), respectively, in aqueous solutions.