ABSTRACT
Background: Depletion of petroleum resources has enforced the search for alternative sources of renewable energy. Introduction of biofuels into the market was expected to become a solution to this disadvantageous situation. Attempts to cover fuel demand have, however, caused another severe problemthe waste glycerol generated during biodiesel production at a concentration of approximately 10% w/w. This, in turn, prompted a global search for effective methods of valorization of the waste fraction of glycerol. Results: Utilization of the waste fraction at 48 h with an initial glycerol concentration of 30 g·L-1 and proceeding with 62% efficiency enabled the production of 9 g·L-1 dihydroxyacetone at 50% substrate consumption. The re-use of the immobilized biocatalyst resulted in a similar concentration of dihydroxyacetone (8.7 g·L-1) in two-fold shorter time, with an efficiency of 85% and lower substrate consumption (35%). Conclusions: The method proposed in this work is based on the conversion of waste glycerol to dihydroxyacetone in a reaction catalyzed by immobilized Gluconobacter oxydans cell extract with glycerol dehydrogenase activity, and it could be an effective way to convert waste glycerol into a valuable product.
Subject(s)
Cells, Immobilized/metabolism , Dihydroxyacetone/metabolism , Glycerol/metabolism , Waste Products , Cell Extracts , Cells, Immobilized/chemistry , Gluconobacter oxydans , Biofuels , Recycling , Renewable Energy , Glycerol/chemistryABSTRACT
The dhaD gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase(GDH) from Klebsiella sp.was amplified,and was inserted into expression vector pET-28a(+),the plasmid pET-28a-dhaD was constructed and was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).SDS-PAGE showed that the gene dhaD was expressed successfully in recombinant E.coli BL21.Then GDH was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography,the results showed a single band about 39kDa on SDS-PAGE gel,and the specified activity was about 156U/mg.The special activity of GDH is 4.6-fold higher than that of unpurified and the activity recovery is 67.4%.The optimum reaction pH was 11.0,and the GDH activity have little changed when incubated in the buffer of pH7.0～11.0.The optimum reactive temperature was 30℃,and the GDH was more stable on the temperature of 25℃～45℃.The Km value was 0.54mmol/L and Vmax was 0.49 ?mol/ml?min in the glycerol.