Solid-liquid partitioning bioreactors: A new technology platform for biotechnology and the environement

微生物过程分为两类：合成反应和降解反应。合成反应产生用于生物技术工业的高价值生物分子。降解反应为处理受污染的土壤和水提供了一种生物手段。在这两种类型的反应中，微生物都可以被参与转化的分子的毒性所抑制，从而使这些过程效率低下。引入一种分离的、不混相的相来选择性地将这些有毒分子分离到或分离出微生物细胞，这是设计和操作两相分离生物反应器（TPPBs）的基本原理。通过将目标分子的水溶液浓度维持在亚毒性水平，TPPBs使微生物细胞以最高效率运作。目前，超过15个国家的研究小组正在探索基于我们专利技术平台的TPPB应用。直到最近，TPPB的第二阶段一直是一种不可混溶的有机液体。我们最近在TPPB技术上取得了决定性的突破，表明固体聚合物珠，塑料颗粒，可以作为第二阶段用于摄取和释放目标分子。在生物反应器中使用廉价、不挥发、不易燃、生物相容性和易成型的聚合物，在设计消除细胞毒性的高效工艺方面是一个巨大的进步，也是发展“绿色”、无溶剂工艺的关键。在本研究中，将运行3个用于生产高价值产品的模型系统，以确认固液TPPBs在生物技术应用中的优势。此外，我们将展示固体-液体TPPBs用于处理被燃料碳氢化合物严重污染的土壤和水源，以及被多芳烃污染的土壤。潜在的应用包括加拿大各地的许多棕地，阿尔伯塔焦油砂污染水库和悉尼焦油池，所有这些都可以从我们技术的成功演示中受益。NSERC的新支持对于我们在聚合物领域取得突破、在两个关键领域推进TPPB技术以及在开发绿色生物处理战略方面保持国际领先地位至关重要。

Microbial processes fall into two categories: synthesis reactions and degradative reactions. Synthesis reactions create high value biomolecules used in the biotechnology industry. Degradative reactions provide a biological means for treating contaminated soil and water. In both types of reactions microbes can be inhibited by the toxicity of molecules involved in the transformations, making these processes inefficient. The introduction of a separate, immiscible phase to selectively partition such toxic molecules to, or away from, microbial cells is the rationale behind the design and operation of Two-Phase Partitioning Bioreactors (TPPBs). By maintaining aqueous concentrations of target molecules at sub-toxic levels, TPPBs allow microbial cells to operate at their highest efficiency. Research groups in more than 15 countries are now exploring TPPB applications based on our patented technology platform. Until recently, the second phase in a TPPB would have been an immiscible organic liquid. We recently made a decisive breakthrough in TPPB technology by showing that solid polymer beads, plastic pellets, can be used as the second phase for the uptake and release of target molecules. The use of inexpensive, non-volatile, non-flammable, biocompatible and easily-shaped polymers in a bioreactor is an enormous advance in designing high-efficiency processes that eliminate cell toxicity and is key to the development of "green", solvent-free processing. In the proposed research 3 model systems for the production of high-value products will be operated to confirm the superiority of solid-liquid TPPBs in biotechnology applications. In addition, we will demonstrate the use of solid-liquid TPPBs for the treatment of soil and water sources heavily contaminated with fuel hydrocarbons, and soil contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Potential applications include the many Brownfields sites across Canada, the Alberta Tar Sands polluted water reservoirs and the Sydney Tar Ponds, all of which could benefit from the successful demonstration of our technology. Renewed NSERC support is vital for us to exploit our polymer breakthrough, advance TPPB technology in two key sectors and maintain our international lead in developing a green bioprocessing strategy.