Characteristics of hydrocarbon uptake in cultures with two liquid phases

Abstract

In hydrocarbon fermentation, the efficiency of hydrocarbon uptake by cells is one of the keys to the economical production of single-cell protein. This work is concerned with characterization of cultures with two liquid phases for understanding the hydrocarbon uptake process by cells. Batch cultivation of Candida lipolytica was carried out in shaking flasks and in a tower fermentor with motionless mixers. Microscopic observation and cell and hydrocarbon concentration distribution in batch cultivation showed that some cells are attached to the large oil drops and others are free from them. Interfacila tension between oil and water and Sauter mean drop size decreased as cultivation proceeded. On the basis of the experimental results, the process of hydrocarbon uptake by cells is discussed.