CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF ACETIC-ACID FROM CO2 IN REPEATED-BATCH CULTURES USING FLOCCULATED CELLS OF ACETOBACTERIUM-WOODII

The biological utilization of CO2 in the production of acetic acid in anaerobic fermentations of Acetobacterium woodii was studied in a hubb le-column bioreactor. To increase the productivity of acetic acid a re peated-batch culture technique was developed by introducing concentrat ed cells using a synthetic polymeric flocculant. The effects of the op erating conditions of pas flow rate, cell density and medium compositi on bn volumetric productivity of acetic acid were examined. At subopti mal operating conditions the production rates of various cultivation s chemes were examined. This approach is especially valuable for simplif ication of the process and utilization of the energy required for the separation of the cells from the liquid content.