Masters Theses

Shivani Kalia

Abstract

"The development of renewable energy sources, such as biofuels, is of great interest in today's world due to depletion of fossil fuels and concerns about climate change. The production of the main by-product, crude glycerol, in biodiesel production presents an opportunity for the production of industrially relevant commodities. Crude glycerol in biodiesel waste is highly impure and possesses high salt concentrations and alkalinity, making it infeasible for direct industrial utilization. Moreover, current glycerol purification methods are highly cost-intensive, necessitating a search for cost-effective approaches that are feasible to employ. Genome data analysis of Halanaerobium hydrogeniformans, revealed the metabolic capability of this bacterium to convert glycerol into 1,3-propanediol (PDO), a relevant industrial commodity. To develop an optimum growth medium for this glycerol conversion, assays with different combinations of twenty-four media components were performed. Data analysis using HPLC demonstrated enhanced production of 1,3-propanediol with specific additions of glycerol, pH, vitamin B12, ammonium-ions, sodium sulfide, cysteine, iron and cobalt. Reactor studies were also performed to monitor the production of PDO, as a function of scale up in reactor volume. In addition, the impact of different glycerol concentrations and retained fraction volumes on PDO productivity was determined through repeated fed-batch reactions. Fed-batch operation provided a 39.2 percent increase in PDO concentration and a 61.7 percent increase in the productivity in comparison to the batch operation. Ongoing enzyme kinetics studies are being performed in order to better understand the PDO production pathway. This information will be helpful in modelling the dynamics of culture to maximize the yield and productivity of PDO production"--Abstract, page iv.

Advisor(s)

Mormile, Melanie R.

Committee Member(s)

Sitton, Oliver C.
Shannon, Katie B.

Department(s)

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

M.S. in Applied and Environmental Biology

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Summer 2017

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

  • The use of a fractional factorial design to determine the factors that impact 1,3-propanediol production from glycerol by halanaerobium hydrogeniformans
  • 1,3-Propanediol production from glycerol by halanaerobium hydrogeniformans in scale up reactor and repeated fed batch operation
  • Enzyme kinetics

Pagination

x, 77 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references.

Rights

© 2017 Shivani Kalia, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11175

Electronic OCLC #

1003049581

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