Air-bubbling, hollow-fiber reactor with cell bleeding and cross-flow filtration

Continuous asymmetric reduction of dyhydrooxoisophorone (DOIP) to 4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclo-hexanone (4-HTMCH) was achieved by a thermophilic bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus NK86-0151. Three reactors were used: an air-bubbling hollow-fiber reactor with cell bleeding and cross-flow filtration, an air-lift reactor, and a CSTR with PAA immobilized cells. The maximum cell concentration of 11.1 g dry wt L(-1) was obtained in an air-bubbling hollow-fiber reactor, while in the other reactors the cell densities were between 3.5 and 4.1 g dry wt L(-1) The optimum bleed ratio was 0.1 at the dilution rate 0.3 h(-1) in the hollow-fiber reactor. The highest viable cell concentration was maintained in the dilution range of 0.4-0.7 h(-1) by a combination of proper cell bleeding and cross-flow filtration. The maximum volumetric productivity of 4-HTMCH reached 826 mg L(-1) h(-1) at the dilution rate 0.54 h(-1). This value was 4 and 2 times higher than those in the air-lift reactor and CSTR, respectively. The increasing viable cell concentration increased the volumetric productivity of 4-HTMCH. A cell free product solution was continuously obtained by cross-flow filtration.