Fermentation value chains

Owing to these developments, microbial PHA has formed an industrial value chain ranging from industrial fermentation, materials, medicine, and biofuels to fine chemicals. More and more applications are the subject of intensive research. Globally, more than 20 companies have been established to commercialize these developments (Chen 2009a Fig. 1). 

Figure 16.9 Polyhydroxyalkanoates and its related technologies are forming an industrial value chain ranging from fermentation, materials, fine chemicals, energy to medical fields. ...

However, if the raw materials are contaminated or the composting process is incomplete, unfavorable effects must be expected. Heavy metals may be introduced into the compost with communal waste. To ensure that these do not enter the food chain, authorised limit values must be strictly adhered to. The same is true of organic contaminants (particularly polyaromatic or chlorinated hydrocarbons), the effect of which is extremely complex. If the fermentation process is not satisfactory, putrefaction will occur, the by-products of which (S02, NH3, N02, organic acids, cadaveric alkaloids, etc.) inhibit plant growth and attract pests. 

One product of the rumen fermentation, methane, is of no value to the ruminant. The major fermentation products used by the ruminant are the short-chain fatty acids, acetate, butyrate and propionate. Acetate and butyrate can be used for energy, but propionate is most useful for the synthesis of protein. If the fermentation could be shifted to reduce methane, acetate and butyrate production and to increase the propionate, the feed efficiency and growth rate could improved. 

There are two fermentative processes that at first appear to be quite similar to oxygen and nitrate-dependent respirations the reduction of C02 to methane and of sulfate to sulfide. However, on closer examination, it is clear that they bear little resemblance to the process of denitrification. In the first place, the reduction of C02 and of sulfate is carried out by strict anaerobes, whereas nitrate reduction is carried out by aerobes only if oxygen is unavailable. Equally important, nitrate respirers contain a true respiratory chain sulfate and C02 reducers do not. Furthermore, the energetics of these processes are very different. Whereas the free energy changes of 02 and nitrate reduction are about the same, the values are much lower for C02 and sulfate reduction. In fact, the values are so low that the formation of one ATP per H2 or NADH oxidized cannot be expected. Consequently, not all the reduction steps in methane and sulfide formation can be coupled to ATP synthesis. Only the reduction of one or two intermediates may yield ATP by electron transport phosphorylation, and the ATP gain is therefore small, as is typical of fermentative reactions. 

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