Abstract—In this study,
Gluconacetobacter xylinus cells were immobilized in calcium alginate and chitosan-coated alginate beads. The immobilized cells were used in the conversion of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in a stirred-tank reactor. Fermentations using free cells and 2% (w/v) initial glycerol yielded 6.3 gL
-1 DHA after 60 h. This corresponded to a productivity of 0.11 gL
-1h
-1. Using 2% (w/v) initial glycerol and 0.3 vvm air flow, G.xylinus cells immobilized in alginate beads gave a DHA concentration of 12.7 gL
-1 and a productivity of 0.09 gL
-1h
-1. The final DHA concentration and productivity of G.xylinus cells immobilized in chitosan-coated alginate beads were 11.9 gL
-1 and 0.07 gL
-1h
-1, respectively, at 0.3 vvm air flow. Final DHA concentration and productivity further increased to 17.0 gL
-1 and 0.11 gL
-1h-1 at 1.0 vvm airflow. Chitosan coating provided greater stability to the alginate beads with increased aeration rate.
Index Terms—Dihydroxyacetone,
gluconacetobacter xylinus, glycerol immobilization.
C. S. Black is with the University of Waikato, New Zealand (e-mail: Cathsblack22@gmail.com).
G. R. Nair is with the Engineering Department at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ. (e-mail: Giridhar@waikato.ac.nz).
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Cite:Cathryn Sesengel Black and Giridhar Raghavan Nair, "Bioconversion of Glycerol to Dihydroxyacetone by Immobilized Gluconacetobacter Xylinus Cells," International Journal of Chemical Engineering and Applications vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 310-314, 2013.
