Reaproveitamento de glicerol para produção de bioprodutos: biopolímeros

Abstract

The present work used glycerol as a carbon source to obtain bio-based products from fermentation with fungi. It was used four different microorganisms in order to convert glycerol into biopolymers and biosurfactants. The microorganisms tested were: Mucor racemosus Fresenius, Monilia sitophila, Fusarium sp and Acremonium sp. For each microorganism exploratory tests were held in order to select strains capable of converting glycerol in bio-based products of interest. In the first exploratory test of 168 hours fermentation, the microorganism Mucor racemosus Fresenius showed the formation of 1 g/L biopolímero.As variables evaluated in subsequent tests (in Erlenmyer) are in chronological order: the concentration of glycerol; fermentation time; cultivation time of inoculum amid Czapeck; trials with continuous aeration; review the replacement of the medium during fermentation;review of the flow rate; evaluate the influence of aeration applied in two stages in cell growth and production of the biopolymer; assessing the effect of adding yeast extract on gum production and evaluation of gum production without addition of glycerol. These assays have promoted the following results: glycerol concentration of 50 g/L 2 g/L yeast extract with fermentation time of 96 hours with agitation of 100 rpm and 120 hours of culture age of the inoculum, aeration system using flow rate of 4 vvm in the production phase (72 hours after the 24 h without aeration) without replacement of culture medium. Under these conditions there was a maximum yield of 14.21 g/L and 67.7% gum formed consumption glicerol. After these tests the kinetic assay was performed in Biostat B fermenter with a capacity of 2L, with a working volume of 1L to evaluate the performance of the fungi in the production of biopolymer in the best conditions established process. In this step has been generated an output of 23 g/L of starch and glycerol consumption of 75%. The analysis of the infrared spectrum of the biopolymer produced compared to xanthana gum showed that biopolymers have carbohydrate nature.