Automation of an experimental system for the microbial epoxidation of propene and 1-butene

An experimental set-up for automatic gas chromatographic analysis of circulation gas in a batch-reactor system is described. Gas sampling, substrate addition, data acquisition and data reduction are done with a coupled programmable integrator and microcomputer. On-line monitoring of the microbial oxidation of the gaseous alkenes, propene and 1- butene, to the corresponding epoxides is used to illustrate the operation of the experimental system. Measured gas concentrations of alkene and alkene oxide can be converted readily to quantify the reaction course in the liquid phase(s) of the circulation system. Results are presented for both one liquid phase (water) and two liquid phases (water and organic solvent) present in the reactor. The operational stability of the immobilized-cell system used for the epoxidations can be assessed by computer-controlled addition of gaseous alkene.