Abstract

During the last decades, whole-cell immobilization has been used successfully in many bioprocesses. In particular, it is aimed at implementing continuous production processes, reaching higher production rates, and reusing the biocatalyst. In some cases, effective retention of immobilizates in the bioprocess is not feasible by membranes or sieves due to pore plugging or undesired losses of immobilizates. In the present publication, it is reported about the investigation of magnetic immobilizates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for application in continuous biosurfactant production of rhamnolipids by foam fractionation and retention of entrained immobilizates by high-gradient magnetic separation from foam.

Different materials and methods were tested with respect to important parameters, such as stability, diffusion properties or magnetic separation. Good magnetic separation of immobilizates was achieved at 5% (w/w) magnetite loading. Best results in terms of homogeneous embedding, good diffusion properties, and stability enhancement vis-a-vis pure alginate beads was achieved with alginate beads with embedded Bayoxide (R) magnetite or MagPrep (R) silica particles. Although polyurethane immobilizates showed higher stabilities compared with alginate beads, rhamnolipid diffusion in immobilizates was superior in magnetic alginate beads.

Regarding bead production, smaller immobilizates were achieved with suspension polymerization compared to droplet extrusion by the JetCutting (R) technology. In total, magnetic immobilizates are a promising tool for an easier handling of biocatalysts in a continuous biological production process, but they have to be adapted to the current production task.