Repeated fed-batch lactic acid production in a packed bed-stirred fermentor system using a pH feedback feeding method.

Lactic acid production by repeated fed-batch fermentation using free and immobilized cells of Lactobacillus lactis-11 in a packed bed-stirred fermentor (PBSF) system filled with different support materials including ceramic beads, macro-activated carbon cylinders and glass fiber balls was investigated. The results showed that the optimal support materials were the ceramic beads with diameters of 1-2 mm. Compared with the free cell fermentation system, lactic acid production and volumetric productivity in the PBSF system increased by 16.6 and 12.5%, respectively. Though the concentration of free cells decreased sharply, lactic acid production remained stable in five consecutive fed-batch runs using the PBSF system. pH gradients, immobilized cell concentration and mass diffusion in the packed bed were all affected by the recirculation rate of the culture broth. Maximum lactic acid production, productivity and yield occurred at a recirculation rate of 50 mL min(-1).

Effect of Sb dopant amount on the structure and electrocatalytic capability of Ti/Sb-SnO2 electrodes in the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol.

Ti/Sb-SnO2 anodes were prepared by thermal decomposition to examine the influence of the amount of Sb dopant on the structure and electrocatalytic capability of the electrodes in the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol. The physicochemical properties of the Sb-SnO2 coating were markedly influenced by different amounts of Sb dopant. The electrodes, which contained 5% Sb dopant in the coating, presented a much more homogenous surface and much smaller mud-cracks, compared with Ti/Sb-SnO2 electrodes containing 10% or 15% Sb dopant, which exibited larger mud cracks and pores on the surface. However, the main microstructure remained unchanged with the addition of the Sb dopant. No new crystal phase was observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical oxidation of 4-chlorophenol on the Ti/SnO2 electrode with 5% Sb dopant was inclined to electrochemical combustion; while for those containing more Sb dopant, intermediate species were accumulated. The electrodes with 5% Sb dopant showed the highest efficiency in the bulk electrolysis of 4-chlorophenol at a current density of 20 mA/cm2 for 180 min; and the removal rates of 4-chlorophenol and COD were 51.0% and 48.9%, respectively.

Electrochemistry of marmatite-carbon paste electrode in the presence of bacterial strains.

The electrochemical behaviors of a marmatite-carbon paste electrode with the chemical leaching of Fe3+ ions, or the microbial leaching using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, were compared. The cyclic voltammograms of the electrode in the presence and absence of bacterial strains showed that the leaching process of marmatite was carried out by the different reactions occurring in the interface of the marmatite electrode-leach liquid. The polarization currents of the electrode under the differently applied potentials suggested that the microbial leaching of marmatite could be accelerated by the applied potential. The SEM observations indicated that the corrosion pits formed in the electrode surface were similar to the attached bacterial cells in shape and size, other than that by the chemical leaching of Fe3+ ions. The contact leaching of the attached cells on the mineral substrate played an important role on the dissolution of marmatite in addition to the chemical leaching of Fe3+ ions.