Increasing algal biofuel production using Nannocholropsis oculata cultivated with anaerobically and aerobically treated swine wastewater.

For mass production of Nannocholropsis oculata, a cheap nutrition source such as swine wastewater is required. The use of a combination of anaerobically/aerobically treated swine wastewater (AnATSW) was compared to artificial 3×f/2 medium in terms of algal growth rate and oil content. For microalgae cultured in 0-50% (v/v) AnATSW, a biomass of 0.

Degradation of dimethyl-sulfoxide-containing wastewater using airlift bioreactor by polyvinyl-alcohol-immobilized cell beads.

Airlift bioreactor containing polyvinyl-alcohol-immobilized cell beads was investigated for its capability of biodegradation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in term of sludge characteristics including the strategy of acclimation with sucrose and the protection of microorganism from poisoning of DMSO by PVA cell beads. Media condition with sucrose at 50 mg L(-1) was beneficial to the biodegradation of DMSO in the fresh PVA entrapped-sludge, but became insignificant in the acclimated one as for tolerance of DMSO toxicity. The removal efficiency of DMSO had the highest rate at 1.

Treatment of acetone waste gases using slurry-phase airlift embedded with polyacrylamide-entrapped cell beads.

Acetone is the most common chemical used in the Hsin-chu Science Park in Taiwan. The three-phase airlift bioreactor was designed to absorb acetone into the 39 L of medium solution and then degraded by 2-L polyacrylamide (PAA)-entrapped Thiosphaera pantotropha cell beads. The airlift medium was successfully regenerated and circulated for more than 5 months.

Using redox potential to detect microbial activities during clavulanic acid biosynthesis in Streptomyces clavuligerus.

Production of clavulanic acid (CA) by Streptomyces clavuligerus in a shake-flask culture increased from 92 to 180 mg l(-1) with an increased O2 transfer efficiency (0.039 --> 0.058 s(-1)), which maintained the redox potential values above -250 mV.

Biofiltration of waste gases containing both ethyl acetate and toluene using different combinations of bacterial cultures.

To investigate the microbial degradation of ethyl acetate and toluene mixtures in biofiltration, three strains were selected, identified and studied in a shake-flask culture, and finally inoculated into biofilters. These strains, namely AC6, TO3 and B5, can degrade different substrates at a different rate. The results showed that competitive inhibition from substrate and microbial community would affect the toluene degradation efficiency.

Evaluation of effective diffusion coefficient and intrinsic kinetic parameters on azo dye biodegradation using PVA-immobilized cell beads.

An immobilized mixed culture (Aeromonas hydrophila, Comamonas testosteroni, and Acinetobacter baumannii) was prepared by entrapment into phosphorylated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel beads. The unsteady-state diffusion mechanism in a gel bead was applied to estimate the effective diffusion coefficients (D(e)) and the partition coefficients (K(p)) of azo dye. In addition, a simple method was developed to determine the intrinsic kinetic parameters of immobilized cells from observed reaction rates and the intrinsic kinetic parameters were then verified by fitting the experimental data into the reaction-diffusion model in a batch reactor running at a well-stirred state.

Hydrodynamic characteristics of immobilized cell beads in a liquid-solid fluidized-bed bioreactor.

This study examined the hydrodynamic characteristics of a liquid-solid fluidized-bed bioreactor using elastic particles (PVA gel beads) of various diameters as carriers. The drag coefficient-Reynolds number, velocity-voidage, and expansion index-Reynolds number relationships observed during fluidization of PVA gel beads in a fluidized bed in our experiments were compared with the published results. Predictions made from previous correlations were examined with our new experimental findings, revealing the inadequacy of most of these correlations.

Decolorization of azo dye using PVA-immobilized microorganisms.

A microbial consortium having a high capacity for rapid decolorization of azo dye (RED RBN) was immobilized by a phosphorylated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel. The immobilized-cell beads exhibited a color removal capability of 75%, even at a high concentration of RED RBN (500 mg l(-1)) within 12 h using flask culture. The continuous operation was conducted at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5-20 h in which the dye loading rate ranged from 240 to 60 mg dye h(-1).

Decolorization of the textile dyes by newly isolated bacterial strains.

Six bacterial strains with the capability of degrading textile dyes were isolated from sludge samples and mud lakes. Aeromonas hydrophila was selected and identified because it exhibited the greatest color removal from various dyes. Although A.

Water transformation in the media of biofilters controlled by Rhodococcus fascians in treating an ethyl acetate-contaminated airstream.

Biofilters do not provide much water for bacteria to grow. To use them efficiently and properly, it is essential to understand the kinetics of water transformation and to control moisture levels. This study aims to clarify whether the metabolism of microorganisms will improve the water-holding capacity of media or will intensify drying.