UNS: Targeted saturated fatty acids synthesis by microbial biohydrogenation and its superior extraction from microalgae biomass through selective fermentation

PI姓名：布鲁斯E. Rittmann提案编号：1509933微藻是单细胞光合生物，依靠大气中的二氧化碳、阳光和溶解的矿物质营养生长。 在适当的条件下，微藻也会产生以脂类形式储存的脂肪酸，这些脂肪酸可以很容易地转化为生物燃料，如生物柴油。 这项拟议的研究将探索一种称为选择性发酵的新工艺，以解决藻类生物燃料生产工艺持续商业化发展面临的两个主要障碍：安全有效地提取脂质，以及有益地利用非脂质生物质。 选择性发酵涉及将微藻生物质的碳水化合物和蛋白质部分转化为短链脂肪酸，同时使脂质部分保持完整并且更容易通过无毒溶剂提取。 这项研究有可能提高藻类生物质的生物燃料产量，减少浪费，从而提高效率，促进藻类生物燃料生产过程的可持续性。 从微藻生产液体运输燃料面临许多挑战，包括脂质的安全和有效提取，以及生物质中非脂质组分的有益利用。该项目将研究选择性发酵同时解决这两个挑战的潜力。 在所提出的选择性发酵过程中，微藻生物质的碳水化合物和蛋白质部分被发酵成短链脂肪酸，而现有的脂质部分以更容易从未发酵的生物质中提取的形式保存。为了提高碳水化合物和蛋白质发酵的速率和程度，选择性发酵过程将在微生物电解池（MEC）的阳极室中进行，其在阴极产生氢气，消耗发酵产物，并促进不饱和脂肪酸生物氢化为具有更高燃料质量的饱和脂肪酸。 将开发数学模型，将关键的生化，微生态和电化学机制联系起来，以提高对整个系统中这些过程相互作用的基本理解，并将使未来的技术经济和生命周期分析过程。 该项目的教育方面将促进绿色劳动力的发展，让当地社区学院代表性不足群体的学生参与全年的研究经验，并支持高中教师和学生进行配对的夏季实习。

PI Name: Bruce E. RittmannProposal Number: 1509933Microalgae are single-celled photosynthetic organisms that grow on atmospheric carbon dioxide, sunlight, and dissolved mineral nutrients. Under the proper conditions, microalgae also produce fatty acids stored as lipids, which can be readily converted to biofuel such as biodiesel. This proposed research will explore a new process called selective fermentation to address two major roadblocks facing the continued commercial development algal biofuel production processes: safe and efficient extraction of the lipids, and beneficial use of the non-lipid biomass. Selective fermentation involves the conversion of carbohydrate and protein fractions of microalgae biomass to short-chain fatty acids while leaving the lipid fraction intact and more easily available for extraction by non-toxic solvents. This research has the potential to improve biofuel yield from algal biomass and reduce waste, thereby increasing efficiency and promoting sustainability of algal biofuel production processes. The production of liquid transportation fuels from microalgae faces many challenges, including the safe and efficient extraction of lipids, and in the beneficial use of the non-lipid components in the biomass. This project will study the potential of selective fermentation to simultaneously address these two challenges. In the proposed selective fermentation process, the carbohydrate and protein fractions of the microalgal biomass are fermented to short-chain fatty acids, while the existing lipid fraction is conserved in a form that is more readily extracted from the non-fermented biomass. To increase the rate and extent of carbohydrate and protein fermentation, the selective fermentation process will be carried out in the anode chamber of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), which produces hydrogen gas at the cathode, consumes the fermentation products, and promotes bio-hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids with higher fuel quality. Mathematical models will be developed to link the key biochemical, microecological, and electrochemical mechanisms to improve fundamental understanding of the interactions of these processes in the overall system, and will enable future techno-economic and life-cycle analysis of the process. The education aspects of this project will advance the development of a green workforce by involving students from under-represented groups at a local community college in year-round research experiences, and by supporting a high school teacher and student in paired summer internships.