Development of bioreactor for production of antibiotics by immobilization of microorganisms in porous ceramics

• Grant number: 93/03775-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: December 01, 1994
• End date: March 31, 1998
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Claudio Alberto Torres Suazo
• Grantee: Claudio Alberto Torres Suazo
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The scope of the current research project is to develop a new type of bioreactor with characteristics that allow improvement of the technical and economic conditions of conventional antibiotic production processes. With the aid of some technological developments in areas such as "Ceramic membranes" and "Immobilized cells" a bioreactor will be constructed that overcome the inconveniences presented by the conventional submerged stirring tank fermentation, using as model the production of penicillin G by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Operation of the bioreactor consists basically in allowing the fungus to grow in direct contact with air, at the top surface of a flat, horizontal porous ceramic membrane. Nutrients from the liquid medium, on flowing along the bottom surface of the membrane, will permeate the pores of this membrane due to capillary forces and so get to the microorganism. The antibiotic, after being synthesized by the microorganism, will flow in opposite direction of the nutrients. The development of the bioreactor will be a product of the interaction between the Biochemical Engineering research group of the Chemical Engineering Department (CED) and the Ceramic Technology group of the Materials Engineering Department (MED), both of the Universidade Federal de São Carlos (Federal University of São Carlos).The researchers of the MED will be responsible for the development of the porous ceramic membranes compatible with the design of the bioreactor. Those of the CED will be responsible for the formulation of the design, construction and evaluation of the performance of the prototypes of the bioreactor. (AU)