Developing enhanced production and separation techniques for glycolipid biosurfactants

糖脂类生物表面活性剂是天然存在的两亲性物质，具有一系列独特的特性，包括生物降解性和对广泛温度和ph值的耐受性。近年来，这些特性促进了许多公司将这些生物表面活性剂商业化，用于一系列清洁和个人护理产品。尽管目前的生产成本过高，但人们对工业生物技术路线生产的分子和使用生物表面活性剂（如槐脂）作为散装化学品非常感兴趣，特别是用于生物修复和提高石油采收率。这在一定程度上是因为需要大量的底物，这意味着在发酵开始时需要大量未使用的生物反应器体积，以及随着时间的推移，在生物反应器中积累的高粘度油相抑制了氧气向细胞的转移。我们已经开发了一种新的重力分离工艺，可以在生产皂荚脂产品时将其从生物反应器中分离出来，从而减少了生物反应器的体积要求，从而提高了生产效率和发酵产品的滴度，并正在努力将这项技术商业化。这些商业化活动已经获得了bbsrc年度创新者早期职业奖的认可。该博士项目旨在进一步提高糖脂生物表面活性剂的发酵和分离技术，可能有助于进一步降低生产成本。该项目将建立在目前与工业合作者资助的工作基础上，以开发一种可控的、可扩展的综合生物工艺。1Dolman， BD等。2017，过程生物化学，54（162-171）

Glycolipid biosurfactants are naturally occurring amphiphiles with a range of unique properties including biodegradability and tolerance of a wide range of temperature and pH. These propertieshave facilitated the commercialisation of these biosurfactants by a number of companies in recent years, in a range of cleaning and personal care products.There is significant interest in molecules produced from industrial biotechnology routes and using biosurfactants such as sophorolipids as bulk chemicals, in particular for bioremediation andenhanced oil recovery, though the current cost of production is currently prohibitive. This is in part because of the requirement for feeding large quantities of substrate, meaning there is a requirementfor significant unused bioreactor volume at the beginning of the fermentation, and the high viscosity of the sophorolipid phase, which accumulates in the bioreactor over time inhibiting oxygen masstransfer to the cells.We have developed a novel gravity separation process1 to separate the sophorolipid product as it is produced and remove it from the bioreactor, reducing the bioreactor volume requirement andthereby enhancing productivity and fermentation product titre, and are working to exploit this technology commercially. These commercialisation activities have been recognised by a BBSRCInnovator of the Year Early Career Award.This PhD project will aim to further enhance fermentation and separation techniques for glycolipid biosurfactants, potentially facilitating further decreases in production costs. The project will build on current funded work with industrial collaborators to develop a controllable, scalable integrated bioprocess.1Dolman, BD et al. 2017, Process Biochemistry, 54(162-171)