Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) production in fermentation of enzymatically hydrolyzed cassava flour by Clostridium beijerinckii BA101 and solvent separation

J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013 Aug;23(8):1092-8. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1301.01021.

Abstract

Cassava constitutes an abundant substrate in tropical regions. The production of butanol in ABE fermentation by Clostridium beijerinckii BA101 using cassava flour (CF) was scaled-up to bioreactor level (5 L). Optimized fermentation conditions were applied; that is, 40℃, 60 g/l CF, and enzymatic pretreatment of the substrate. The batch fermentation profile presented an acidogenic phase for the first 24 h and a solventogenic phase afterwards. An average of 37.01 g/l ABE was produced after 83 h, with a productivity of 0.446 g/l/h. Butanol production was 25.71 g/l with a productivity of 0.310 g/l/h, high or similar to analogous batch processes described for other substrates. Solvent separation by different combinations of fractioned and azeotropic distillation and liquid-liquid separation were assessed to evaluate energetic and economic costs in downstream processing. Results suggest that the use of cassava as a substrate in ABE fermentation could be a cost-effective way of producing butanol in tropical regions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetone / metabolism*
  • Biotechnology / methods
  • Butanols / metabolism*
  • Chemical Fractionation
  • Clostridium beijerinckii / metabolism*
  • Ethanol / metabolism*
  • Fermentation
  • Flour
  • Manihot*
  • Solvents

Substances

  • Butanols
  • Solvents
  • Acetone
  • Ethanol