WACHSTUMSVERHALTEN VON METHYLOMONAS CLARA

Abstract

A bacterium was chosen for single cell protein production from methanol because of its high protein content of over 80% anda potential yield of 0.6 g cell mass per g methanol. The selected organism Methylomonas clara is an obligate methylotroph; methanol is incorporated as formaldehyde via the ribulose monophosphate cycle. The maximum possible cell mass production in continuous culture in two different reactor systems was studied, to describe the kinetics of growth. The reactors compared were a normal stirred vessel with a Flarblade turbine and a newly designed completely filled bioreactor with a draft tube and propeller. The maximum achieved cell mass productivity in continuous culture in both reactor systems was 11.7 g . Ata methanol concentration in the inflow medium of 100 g I wash out of the cells occured at half maximum growth rate. By-products inhibition limited further enhancment of growth. The proof was given experimentally.