STUDY OF BUTANOL EXTRACTION THROUGH PERVAPORATION IN ACETOBUTYLIC FERMENTATION

Substrate conversion during acetobutylic fermentation is essentially limited by the concentration of butanol in the fermentation medium, since butanol itself a by-product of this process. Butanol concentrations of 14-16 g/L inhibit bacterial growth, thereby limiting glucose consumption between 60 and 70 g/L. This study prevaporation technique was applied to acetobutylic fermentation so as to extract in situ the butanol produced, thereby obtaining a greater glucose consumption and greater higher production.