Effect of light on the production of acetone-butanol-ethanol by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum DSM 14923

• Grant number: 22/05360-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 13, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Adriano Pinto Mariano
• Grantee: Júlia Ellen Barros Vivas
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The production of butanol has been drawing attention due to its use as a chemical and biofuel, and a promising processing route is the ABE (Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol) fermentation. However, the economic feasibility of the fermentative route is hampered by butanol inhibition and low ABE yield and productivity. Research has been demonstrating that genetic engineering and advanced fermentation with in-situ product recovery combined with cell immobilization can increase the performance of the fermentation. But these strategies are costly and often complex. In search of simpler solutions, the literature shows that the application of light at various wavelengths to the fermentation broth can improve the performance of various microorganisms, including the yeast that produces ethanol. However, this strategy has not yet been applied to the ABE fermentation by Clostridia. As such, this research aims to evaluate the effect of light at various wavelengths on the production of ABE by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum DSM 14923. Initially, a device to apply the light will be designed, and various treatments (blue, red, and white light) will be applied to test-tube fermentation. Finally, in case the hypothesis is that the light treatment improves the performance of the ABE fermentation, the best treatment will be reproduced in a 5-L fermentor. If successful, the proposed research will serve as the first step to future research at the graduate level.(AU)