Cell immobilization for oil biodesulforization processes
1994
Setti, L. | Pifferi, P.G. | Lanzarini, G. (Interdepartmental Centre of Biotechnological Research, Bologna (Italy). Dept. of Industrial Chemistry and Materials)
A new approach for a biodesulfurization is described. Biocatalyst costs and volumetric ratio between the oil phase and the aqueous medium containing the biocatalyst are the main limiting factors that make it difficult to obtain a biotechnological process competitive with a chemical-physical one. Immobilization of the biocatalyst may be useful to overcome these limitations. Immobilization technique of desulfurizing microorganisms by adsorption on natural hydrophilic supports, viz, alginate, chitosan and agar, have shown interesting aspects for industrial applications. The oil/water volumetric ratio went from 50 per cent in recent desulfurizing continuous stirred tank bioreactor processes to 90 per cent in our batch experiments. Activities of the immobilized biomass are about 1/10 fold lower than the activity of a chemical-physical catalyst in a hydrodesulfurization process (0.4-18 g. of dibenzothiophene removed per gramme (catalyst) and per hour).
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