Although several separation technologies are technically capable of removing volatile products from fermentation broths, distillation remains the dominant technology. This is especially true for the recovery of biofuels such as ethanol. In this paper, the status of an emerging membrane-based technology, called pervaporation, for this application is reviewed. Several issues and research priorities which will impact the ability of pervaporation to be competitive for biofuel recovery from fermentation systems are identified and discussed. They include: increased energy efficiency; reduction of capital cost for pervaporation systems; longer term trials with actual fermentation broths; optimized integration of pervaporation with fermentor; synergy of performing both alcohol recovery and solvent dehydration by pervaporation with dephlegmation fractional condensation technology; and updated economic analyses of pervaporation at various biofuel production scales. Pervaporation is currently viable for biofuel recovery in a number of situations, but more widespread application will be possible when progress has been made on these issues. Published in 2005 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

/pdf/a-review-of-pervaporation-for-product-recovery-from-biomass-2uvihq0xso.pdf

A review of pervaporation for product recovery from biomass fermentation processes

High-yield cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei ZU-02 on corn cob residue.

Cellulase production from Aspergillus niger MS82: effect of temperature and pH

A carbon microbelt (CMB) aerogel with good selective sorption can be produced in large scale by using waste paper as a precursor. The CMB aerogel shows highly efficient sorption of organic liquids (pump oil: up to 188 times its own weight; chloroform: up to 151 times its own weight). Moreover, the CMB aerogel can be regenerated many times without decrease of sorption capacity by distillation, or squeezing depending on the type of pollutants.

Carbon Microbelt Aerogel Prepared by Waste Paper: An Efficient and Recyclable Sorbent for Oils and Organic Solvents

Zymomonas mobilis is undoubtedly one of the most unique bacterium within the microbial world. Known since 1912 under the names Termobacterium mobilis, Pseudomonas linderi, and Zymomonas mobilis, reviews on its uniqueness have been published in 1977 and 1988. The bacterium Zymomonas mobilis not only exhibits an extraordinarily uniqueness in its biochemistry, but also in its growth behavior, energy production, and response to culture conditions, as well as cultivation techniques used. This uniqueness caused great interest in the scientific, biotechnological, and industrial worlds. Its ability to couple and uncouple energy production in favor of product formation, to respond to physical and chemical environment manipulation, as well as its restricted product formation, makes it an ideal microorganism for microbial process development. This review explores the advances made since 1987, together with new developments in the pure scientific and applied commercial areas.

Zymomonas Mobilis—Science and Industrial Application

Bioconversion of waste paper to ethanol

Cellulase production induced by carbon sources derived from waste newspaper

Novel inducers derived from starch for cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei

Cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei using whole wheat flour as a carbon source

Several methods were investigated for increasing cellobiase activity of T. reesei cellulases produced using an acid-hydrolyzed wheat flour. The use of sorbose in cellulase production is preferred to mixed cultures with Aspergillus niger. Using 13.5 g/L wheat hydrolysate and 1.0 g/L sorbose, the culture of T. reesei produced 3.72 IU/mL of filter paper activity (FPA) and 0.53 IU/mL of cellobiase activity. The addition of sorbose resulted in 89% increase in cellobiase activity and 47% increase in FPA.

Shu Chen

Papers

Bioconversion of waste paper to ethanol

Cellulase production induced by carbon sources derived from waste newspaper

Novel inducers derived from starch for cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei

Cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei using whole wheat flour as a carbon source

Use of sorbose to enhance cellobiase activity in a Trichoderma reesei cellulase system produced on wheat hydrolysate