A novel downstream process for 1,3-propanediol from glycerol-based fermentation

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Biochemical Engineering

Background:

• Glycerol fermentation is a key biotechnological route for producing 1,3-propanediol.
• Purification of 1,3-propanediol from complex fermentation broths presents significant challenges.
• Efficient downstream processing is crucial for the economic viability of bio-based 1,3-propanediol production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and develop an effective downstream process for purifying 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) from glycerol-based fermentation broth.
• To optimize a multi-step purification strategy combining physical and chemical separation techniques.
• To achieve a high yield and purity of 1,3-propanediol suitable for industrial applications.

Main Methods:

• Microfiltration using hollow fiber cartridges to remove biomass.
• Activated charcoal treatment for decolorization and removal of soluble proteins.
• Vacuum distillation to concentrate the product and induce crystallization of inorganic salts.
• Gradient chromatography with silica gel as the stationary phase and a chloroform-methanol mobile phase for final purification.

Main Results:

• Microfiltration removed 98.7% of biomass.
• Activated charcoal treatment reduced soluble proteins to 0.1 g/L (96.0% removal).
• Chromatography achieved an 89% yield of 1,3-propanediol with optimal parameters.
• The overall yield of purified 1,3-propanediol using the developed procedure was 75.47%.

Conclusions:

• The combined process of microfiltration, charcoal treatment, vacuum distillation, and silica gel chromatography is a simple, rapid, and efficient method for 1,3-propanediol purification.
• This downstream process effectively removes impurities like biomass, proteins, and salts, leading to high product recovery.
• The developed method offers a viable solution for the industrial-scale purification of bio-based 1,3-propanediol.