BATCH CULTURE OF ALCALIGENES-EUTROPHUS ATCC 17697T USING RECYCLED GAS CLOSED-CIRCUIT CULTURE SYSTEM

Batch culture of Alcaligenes eutrophus ATCC 17697T using the recycled gas closed circuit culture system was done with the intention of developing a practical fermentation system for industrial culture of autotrophs. The gas phase of the culture system consisted of substrate gas so that gases in this culture system could be recycled forever as long as the amount of the gas consumed would be refilled. All gasses supplied into this system could be completely used without any loss as exhaust. Thus, this system assures high gas usage efficiency as well as operation safety. Studies on the effect of oxygen concentration showed the high oxygen concentration in substrate gas mixture suppressed the specific growth rate while a low oxygen concentration promoted the growth rate. This introduced the possibility of development of an explosion-free fermentation system with a high growth rate if appropriate system design and fermentation conditions were given. Since this system is closed, material balance and elementary analysis provide the ultimately accurate stoichiometry of the autotrophic culture of this bacterium. © 1990.