Ca-alginate spheres behavior in presence of some solvents and water-solvent mixtures英文文献资料.docVIP

Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 2011, 2, 8-12 ABB doi:10.4236/abb.2011.21002 Published Online February 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/abb/). Ca-alginate spheres behavior in presence of some solvents and water-solvent mixtures Luis G. Torres, Angelica Velasquez, Marco A. Brito-Arias Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología. Instituto Politecnico Nacional. Av. Acueducto s/n. Colonia Barrio la Laguna Ticoman; delegacion Gustavo A. Madero 07340 D. F., Mexico. Email: LTorresB@ipn.mx Received 25 June 2010; revised 5 July 2010; accepted 12 July 2011. ABSTRACT Ethanol is a valuable alternative to petroleum-based transportation fuels. The traditional ethanol manufac- ture was using sugar and yeast, though there are many other alternatives such as using wheat, barley, sorghum, beets, cheese whey, potatoes, and many other feed- stocks [2]. Over 90% of the ethanol produced in USA is made of corn. In opposite, in Brazil—the world’s larg- est producer—most ethanol is made from sugar cane. Other sugar sources for ethanol production are cellu- losic feedstocks, i.e. agricultural waste, forestry resi- dues and even solid municipal waste [2]. Many microorganisms can convert sugars to ethanol, and they can do it as free cells or into immobilized systems. These systems have proved to enhance pro- duction rates based in simple facts as the following: 1) immobilized systems can achieve high cell loads and maintain them for longer periods, 2) immobilization systems have a protector effect over cells, in particular when products or substrates are toxic to cells [3], and 3) these systems are flexible and allow the co-immobi- lization of different microorganisms or microorganisms and enzymes, or even cofactors. Immobilization systems more frequently used are calcium alginate spheres [4]. These biocatalysts have many potential app