MICROBIAL CONVERSION OF GLYCEROL TO 1,3-PROPANEDIOL

Glycerol produced by cleavage of natural fats can microbially be conve rted to 1,3-propanediol (PD) by Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Clostridia strains. The fermentation by C. butyricum, product recovery and purif ication has been investigated in detail up to the 2 m(3) scale. Estima tion of product costs for a 10,000 t/a plant indicates that the microb ial process is obviously more attractive than the chemical route. Pres ently, 1,3-propanediol has only a low market volume; however, its use for special polycondensates, in particular polyesters, could reduce gl ycerol surpluses and make plastics a easily biodegradable part of natu ral cycles.