Integrate study of the single cell oil production by non-conventional yeasts utilizing hemicellulosic hydrolysate with cell harvesting by flotation aiming their application in biorefinery

• Grant number: 13/03103-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Everson Alves Miranda
• Grantee: Everson Alves Miranda
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Oleaginous yeast produce oils with a similar lipid profile to edible vegetable oils. However, low yield of lipid synthesis from carbohydrates results in raw material high cost. To overcome this drawback, hemicellulosic hydrolysates can be used as low cost carbon source for viable economical production of oil in these yeasts aiming biodiesel production in biorefineries. Another drawback of the microbial oil production is the cell harvesting after fermentation, which is usually accomplished by centrifugation or filtration. Both of them are efficient and well established industrial unit operations, but centrifugation implies in high energy demand and high capital cost, while filtration is limited by membrane clogging or fouling. Flotation does not have those limitations and allows recovering and concentration of yeast cells. One of the challenges involving this called single cell oil (SCO) production and recovery is that cultivation does not only affects the lipid accumulation but also flotation efficiency. This work aims a integrated study of yeast cultivation (with sugarcane bagasse and wood hydrolysates as carbon source) and the harvest of oleaginous yeast by flotation. The yeast will be done in hydrolysate containing media and studies for media formulation and optimization will be performed. Nitrogen and phosphorus limitations will be studied as strategies for oil accumulation and efficient cell flotation since the literature reports these limitations as antagonists regarding oil production and flotability of the cells. We expect to define the basic parameters for a process that add value to the biomass processing in biorrefineries. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BONTURI, NEMAILLA; CRUCELLO, ALINE; CARVALHO VIANA, AMERICO JOSE; MIRANDA, EVERSON ALVES. Microbial oil production in sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate without nutrient supplementation by a Rhodosporidium toruloides adapted strain. Process Biochemistry, v. 57, p. 16-25, JUN 2017. (13/03103-5)