Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
06:45
Author Spotlight: Optimizing Hollow-Fiber Membranes for Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids
Published on: August 9, 2024
1.9K
Microbial advanced biofuels production: overcoming emulsification challenges for large-scale operation
Arjan S Heeres1, Carolina S F Picone2, Luuk A M van der Wielen3
1Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
Trends in Biotechnology
|March 18, 2014
Summary
Microbial isoprenoids and alkanes offer sustainable biofuel alternatives. Understanding emulsion formation during fermentation is key to improving product recovery and enabling cost-effective biofuel production.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Renewable Energy
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Microbial production of isoprenoids and alkanes shows promise for advanced biofuels.
- Emulsion formation during fermentation can impede product recovery in bioprocesses involving organic liquid phases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review mechanisms and causes of emulsion formation during microbial biofuel fermentation.
- To provide insights for improving large-scale bioprocesses and product recovery.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of emulsion formation in microbial fermentation.
- Analysis of factors influencing emulsion stability (microorganisms, medium, process conditions).
Main Results:
- Emulsions form due to interactions between microorganisms, medium components, and process conditions.
- Understanding microscale mechanisms is crucial for addressing macroscale challenges in product recovery.
Conclusions:
- Addressing emulsion formation is critical for the economic viability of microbial biofuels.
- Further research into microscale phenomena can guide the development of effective process technologies.
Keywords:
Pickering stabilizationadvanced biofuelsbioemulsifiersbiosurfactantsmultiphase fermentationoil recoveryMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:25Biofuels
107
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...
107
01:14Scale-Up Processes
105
The scale-up of microbial fermentation processes is essential in industrial biotechnology, allowing the transition from laboratory-scale experiments to commercial-scale production while aiming to maintain product yield and quality. This process requires meticulous adjustment of equipment design, process parameters, and contamination control strategies to accommodate increasing culture volumes.At the laboratory scale, cultures are typically maintained in 1 to 10-liter glass or autoclavable...
105
01:26Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
150
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to...
150
01:22Bioreactor Controls-III
67
Strain improvement is a foundational strategy in industrial microbiology aimed at maximizing microbial productivity, particularly because natural isolates typically yield commercially valuable products in very low concentrations. Although optimizing the culture medium and environmental conditions can improve yields, these adjustments are inherently limited by the organism’s genetic potential. As a result, the focus shifts toward genetic modifications to enhance biosynthetic capacity. The...
67
01:30Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
1.5K
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
1.5K
01:27Upstream Processing
97
Upstream processing represents a critical phase in biomanufacturing, wherein biological systems such as microorganisms, mammalian cells, or insect cells are cultivated to produce therapeutic proteins, vaccines, enzymes, or other biologically derived products. This phase encompasses all steps from the selection and genetic manipulation of the production organism to the cultivation of cells in bioreactors under tightly controlled environmental conditions.Host Selection and Genetic OptimizationThe...
97