BIOLOGICAL FERMENTATION OF SYNGAS

University of Minho JOANA I. ALVES*

School of Engineering
Centre of Biological Engineering Supervisors: Madalena Alves, Diana Z. Sousa
* joana.alves@deb.uminho.pt

Introduction Methods Results and Conclusions

Syngas or synthesis gas is produced during the gasification of In order to study the potential of different inocula for the 55 ºC | 10% CO | 35 days incubation

different materials, e.g. coal, oil and natural gas, tar sands, synthesis of various interesting products from syngas, synthetic

recalcitrant wastes, lignocellulosic biomass, and sewage sludge. mixtures of CO, CO2 and H2 with different CO:CO2:H2 ratios and
The principal components of syngas are carbon monoxide (CO), different operational conditions, namely temperature and
hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Both catalytic and pressure, were tested in batch assays.

biological processes can be used for the production of biofuels

Mesophilic
and bulk chemicals from syngas. The development of novel Substrate:
suspended
bioprocesses for syngas conversion to added-value products is slugde synthetic syngas
37 °C 5% CO mixture, diluted
a promising field comprising some advantages over the with H2/CO2
10% CO The thermophilic suspended slugde used offers potential
chemical processes. However, potential for biological
conversion of syngas is still rather unexplored within the Phosphate advantages over the use of mesophilic suspended slugde,
Thermophilic buffer 20 mM related to the CO consumption.
bioprocess engineering community.
suspended
slugde
The main goal of this work is to explore the potencial of 55 °C 5% CO pH ≈ 7.0
After more than 5 successive transfers (that correspond to more
biogas or other valuable compounds production from 10% CO
P total ≈ 2.5 bar than 100 days of incubation) and increasing the CO
syngas. 20% CO
concentration from 5% to 60%, by using a phase contrast
microscope, it was observed only two different morphological
Low biodegradable substrates to biofuels types of microorganisms. This fact indicates a specialization of
low biodegradable wastes Headspace composition (H2, CO2, CH4, CO) the inocula in CO-consuming microorganisms.
cellulosic material
GC-TCD

Gasification Syngas
Process (H2, CO, CO2) Volatile fatty-acids and alcohols

HPLC
Successive transfers with syngas as a substrate, with different
Study of the microbial Anaerobic Process
physiology of syngas concentrations of CO, are being performed, aiming the isolation
e.g.:
fermenting CO + 3H2  CH4 + H2O of novel syngas- or CO-utilizing microorganisms.
Microbial dynamics of syngas-enriched cultures
microorganims in order 4CO + 8H  CH (CH )3OH + 3H O
2 3 2 2
to enhance its
conversion to biofuels or 2CO + 2H2  CH3COO- + H+ Total DNA isolation
other added-value Acknowledgements
16s rRNA gene amplification
chemicals. (PCR) The financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
Biofuels (FCT) trough the PhD grant SFRH/BD/48965/2008 given to Joana
Usable chemicals Microbial diversity and shifts (DGGE)
I. Alves is gratefully acknowledged.

Engenharia para a Qualidade de Vida: SAÚDE, LAZER E AMBIENTE– Semana da Escola de Engenharia -11 a 16 de Outubro de 2010