Production of lipids for conversion to biodiesel using crude glycerol as a raw material and employing new isolated strains.

粗甘油是生物柴油生产活动的副产品。大约产生的甘油相当于产生的生物柴油的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/回收甘油。因此，迫切需要发明并实现粗甘油的可持续利用。如果甘油能够被回收利用，以产生可供生产商在同一地点(BiCardel的生物柴油生产厂生产甘油)使用的脂肪，这将有助于生物柴油生产商提振经济。因此，本研究的主要目的是利用我们实验室分离到的高积累脂肪的高活性微生物菌株，开发一种以粗甘油为原料生产油脂(单细胞油)的经济工艺。我们与我们的工业合作伙伴就该项目进行的初步成本估计显示，油脂生产的成本约为每吨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：提高石油产量的生物反应器研究，优化空气供应，以废物为营养物质强化粗甘油；表征不同的废弃碳源作为碳源进行补充；发酵含高肥皂的粗甘油；对灭菌和未灭菌的甘油进行油脂生产试验；演示15L、150L和BiCardel反应器在优化条件下的油脂生产规模；以及最终成本估算。此外，这项研究非常及时，将有助于加拿大工业开发环保和商业可行的生物柴油生产途径，加强加拿大的环境政策。2名硕士和1名研究助理将接受该项目的培训。

Crude glycerol is generated as a by-product of biodiesel production activity. Approximately, the glycerol generated 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, Biocardel's biodiesel production plant), 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 ton, which meets the requirement of the industrial partner in their production plan. The specific objectives of the project include: bioreactor study to improve oil production, optimization of air supply, fortification of crude glycerol with waste materials as nutrients; characterization of different waste carbon sources to be supplemented as carbon source; fermentation of high soap containing crude glycerol; sterilized versus non-sterilized glycerol shall be tested for lipid production; demonstration of lipid production at 15L, 150L and Biocardel reactor scale at optimized conditions; and final cost estimation. Furthermore, this research is very timely and will aid Canadian industry to develop eco-friendly and commercially viable biodiesel production avenues, strengthening Canada's environmental policy. 2 MSc and 1 research associate will be trained in this project.