Co-Immobilization of Clostridium carboxidivorans and Clostridium kluyveri in a Synthetic Dual-Layer Biofilm for Syngas Conversion
Source abstract
Abstract
Syngas fermentation in combination with chain elongation offers great promise for sustainable medium-chain fatty acid production. While immobilization has proven effective for stabilizing monocultures of C. kluyveri for chain elongation, its applicability to co-cultures involving C. carboxidivorans for simultaneous syngas fermentation remains unexplored. This study investigates the physiological compatibility of C. carboxidivorans with agar-based hydrogel immobilization and its co-cultivation potential with C. kluyveri in a synthetic dual-layer biofilm reactor. First, we conducted autotrophic batch fermentations using suspended and immobilized cells, proving metabolic activity similar for both. Applying different sulfur feeding rates, experiments showed best ethanol formation with C. carboxidivorans at increased sulfur feeding, enabling better conditions for chain elongation with C. kluyveri. In the synthetic dual-layer biofilm reactor, with the C. carboxidivorans biofilm in contact with the CO-containing gas phase above the C. kluyveri biofilm, the formation of 1-butyrate and 1-hexanoate was observed with product formation rates of 0.46 g L−1 d−1 1-butyrate, and 0.91 g L−1 d−1 1-hexanoate, respectively. The formation rate of 1-hexanoate in the dual-layer biofilm reactor was approximately 7.6 times higher than that reported with suspended cells in a stirred tank bioreactor. Spatial analysis revealed species-specific migration behavior and confirmed that C. carboxidivorans reduced local CO concentrations, improving the environment for C. kluyveri.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Microbial metabolism and enzyme function · Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies · Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Chair of Biochemical Engineering, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, D-85748 Garching, Germany
Funding
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) · Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government · ONE MUNICH Project Munich Multiscale Biofabrication
References (44)
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