1, 3-Propanediol Production from Glycerol Under Haloalkaline Conditions
Department
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Major
Chemical Engineering with an Emphasis in Biochemical Engineering
Research Advisor
Mormile, Melanie R.
Sitton, Oliver C., 1951-
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Second Advisor's Department
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Funding Source
OURE Fellows Program
Abstract
1,3-Propanediol serves as a precursor to several polymers and is used as a solvent many consumer products. Halanaerobium hydrogeniformans is a haloalkaliphilic bacterium that shows potential in the production of 1,3-propanediol at 7% (w/v) NaCl and a fermentative pH of 10. Experiments are being run in small-scale bioreactors over a range of glycerol concentrations up to 2M and a B12 cofactor range of 0ug/L – 100ug/L to determine optimal conditions for potential industrial applications and to gather production rate information. When analyzed by using HPLC, samples were shown to have significant levels of 1,3-propanediol production, with B12 significantly enhancing the level of production. A conversion ratio of 0.6mol/mol was found with the potential to increase this yield as optimal conditions are determined. H. hydrogeniformans is an example of an extremophilic bacterium that holds great promise in increasing the range of conditions and applications of microbial processes in the industrial setting.
Biography
Dylan Courtney is a junior in Chemical Engineering with an emphasis in Biochemical Engineering. He has conducted research in Dr. Mormile’s lab for the past year and a half, first working with Daniel Roush and later on his own project. Dylan hopes to have a future career in research based Chemical Engineering and plans to graduate in December of 2015.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
OURE Fellows Final Oral Presentation
Document Type
Presentation
Award
Fellows 13-14 Final Stipend
Location
Carver Room
Presentation Date
16 Apr 2014, 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
1, 3-Propanediol Production from Glycerol Under Haloalkaline Conditions
Carver Room
1,3-Propanediol serves as a precursor to several polymers and is used as a solvent many consumer products. Halanaerobium hydrogeniformans is a haloalkaliphilic bacterium that shows potential in the production of 1,3-propanediol at 7% (w/v) NaCl and a fermentative pH of 10. Experiments are being run in small-scale bioreactors over a range of glycerol concentrations up to 2M and a B12 cofactor range of 0ug/L – 100ug/L to determine optimal conditions for potential industrial applications and to gather production rate information. When analyzed by using HPLC, samples were shown to have significant levels of 1,3-propanediol production, with B12 significantly enhancing the level of production. A conversion ratio of 0.6mol/mol was found with the potential to increase this yield as optimal conditions are determined. H. hydrogeniformans is an example of an extremophilic bacterium that holds great promise in increasing the range of conditions and applications of microbial processes in the industrial setting.
