Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from inexpensive extruded rice bran and starch by Haloferax mediterranei

• Published in: Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. 701 - 706
• Main Authors: Huang, T.Y, Duan, K.J, Huang, S.Y, Chen, C.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.08.2006; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Archaea; batch fermentation; biodegradable products; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Carbon; Carbon sources; carboxylic acids; corn starch; Culture Media; Fermentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Haloferax; Haloferax mediterranei; Haloferax mediterranei - growth & development; Haloferax mediterranei - metabolism; Industrial Microbiology; Microbiology; Oryza; Oryza sativa; Polyhydroxyalkanoates; polymers; Polymers - metabolism; Raw materials; Rice; Rice bran; Sodium Chloride; Starch; Cereal bran; Archaeobacteria; Starch; Alkanoate(hydroxy) polymer; Fermentation; Extruded rice bran; Repeated fed-batch fermentation; Halobacteriales; Haloferax mediterranei; Production; Bacteria; Halobacteriaceae; Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Semicontinuous
• ISSN: 1367-5435; 1476-5535
• DOI: 10.1007/s10295-006-0098-z

Low-cost raw materials can be used to reduce significantly the production cost of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). In this study, extruded rice bran (ERB) and extruded cornstarch (ECS) were used as carbon sources to produce PHA by an archaea, Haloferax mediterranei, which cannot use native rice bran or cornstarch as a carbon source. By employing pH-stat control strategy to maintain pH at 6.9-7.1 in a 5-liter jar fermentor using ERB:ECS (1:8 g/g) as the major carbon source, we obtained a cell concentration of 140 g/L, PHA concentration of 77.8 g/L and PHA content of 55.6 wt.% in a repeated fed-batch fermentation. In contrast, when ECS was used as the major carbon source, we obtained 62.6 g/L cell concentration, 24.2 g/L PHA concentration and 38.7 wt.% PHA content. Under a hyper-saline condition and with no nitrogen-limitation restriction, the repeated fed-batch process can be sustained a long time for the mass production of PHA.