Microbial fermentation using continuously regenerated redox mediator - where microbe is anaerobic,facultative anaerobe, or is micro-aerophilic or aero:tolerant

摘要

Prodn. of a substance by microbial fermentation uses microbe that is an anaerobe, a facultative anaerobe or is microaerophilic or aerotolerant. The prod. is more highly oxidised or reduced than the substrate, and the substrate is biologically degraded by the fermentation. The culture medium contains a redox mediator of little or no toxicity which is polar and water. Soluble, and stable in both oxidised and reduced forms. The redox mediator is continuously regenerated during the fermentation by a working electrode, in order to steer the reaction in the required direction. Pref. the microorganism is a Clostridium or Propionobacterium, or is Propionispira arboris, Megasphaera elsdenii, Bacteriodes miminicola, Bididobacterium bifidus, Eubacterium limosum or Citrobacter freundii. The substrate is molasses, a milk prod., malt extract, ligno-cellulose hydrolysate, polysaccharide, triose to hexose sugar, polyol, organic acid, aminoacid, purine or pyrimidine. ADVANTAGE - The prod. is obtd. in yields of over 90%.