Production of lipids for bioconversion to biodiesel using crude glycerol as a raw material and employing new isolated microorganisms

粗甘油是生物柴油生产活动的副产品。大约，生产的甘油相当于生产的生物柴油的10%。目前，粗甘油被认为是一种废物，生物柴油生产商正在寻找不同的方法来处理/回收他们的甘油。因此，迫切需要发明和实施一种可持续利用的粗甘油。如果甘油可以被循环利用以产生脂质，这些脂质可以被生产者在同一地点（生产甘油的地方）使用，这将有助于生物柴油生产商提高他们的经济效益。因此，本研究的主要目的是开发一种经济的生产脂质（单细胞油）的工艺，以粗甘油（生物卡德尔）为原料，利用我们实验室分离的高脂质积累过度活跃的微生物菌株。我们与工业合作伙伴就该项目进行的初步成本估算显示，脂质生产成本约为每吨300-400美元，符合工业合作伙伴生产计划的要求。该项目的具体目标包括：甘油分析；不同浓度的甘油（4-15%w/v）；应检测灭菌甘油与未灭菌甘油的脂质生成；粗甘油中杂质对微生物生长和脂质积累的影响优化条件下15L、150L和2000L的油脂生产示范；发酵上清液中次生代谢产物的鉴定用均质机（压力下）从生物质中提取油脂并转化为生物柴油和脱脂生物质的营养价值；最后的成本估算。此外，这项研究非常及时，将有助于加拿大工业开发生态友好和商业可行的生物柴油，加强加拿大的环境政策。本项目将培养1名硕士和1名研究助理。

Crude glycerol is generated as a by-product of biodiesel production activity. Approximately, the glycerol produced is equal to 10% of the biodiesel produced. At present, crude glycerol is considered as a waste and biodiesel producers are looking different ways to dispose/recycle their glycerol. Thus, there is an urgent need to invent and implement a sustainable use of crude glycerol. If the glycerol can be recycled to generate lipids which could be used by the producer at the same site (at which glycerol is produced), it would help biodiesel producers boost their economy. Therefore, the principal objective of the present research is to develop an economical process for lipids (single cell oil) production using crude glycerol (of Biocardel) as a raw material using high lipid accumulating hyperactive microbial strains, isolated in our laboratory. Our preliminary cost estimate conducted in collaboration with our industrial partner on this project revealed that the cost of lipid production was approximately 300-400$ per tone, which meets the requirement of the industrial partner in their production plan. The specific objectives of the project include: analysis of glycerol; different concentrations of glycerol (4-15%w/v); sterilized versus non-sterilized glycerol shall be tested for lipid production; impact of impurities in crude glycerol on microbial growth and lipid accumulation; demonstration of lipid production at 15L, 150L and 2000L scale at optimized conditions; identification of secondary metabolites in the fermentation supernatant; extraction of oil/lipids from biomass with homogenizer (under pressure) and conversion to biodiesel and nutritive value of de-fatted biomass; and final cost estimation. Furthermore, this research is very timely and will aid Canadian industry to develop eco-friendly and commercially viable biodiesel strengthening Canada's environmental policy. 1 MSc and 1 research associate will be trained in this project.