RESEARCH ARTICLE


Multi-Fixed-Bed Bioreactor System Applied for Bioprocess Development of Immobilized Lactic Acid Bacteria



Rebecca Faschian*, Sonakshi De, Ralf Pörtner
Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Denickestr. 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany


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Creative Commons License
© Faschian et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode), which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Denickestr. 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany; Tel: +49 40 42878 2886; Fax: +49 40 42878 2909; Email: poertner@tuhh.de


Abstract

The multi-fixed-bed bioreactor “Multiferm” provides a downscaled system for the development of fixed-bed processes with immobilized microorganisms or cells. It consists of twelve single fixed-bed units that can be operated independently. Different bacterial strains, carriers used for immobilization, media or flow rates can be studied in one compact experimental set-up. Experiments can be run in parallel to allow for determination of experimental errors. In these studies several continuous cultivations were carried out with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus using different dilution rates and culture durations as proof-of-concept for the Multiferm. Parameters relevant for process design such as reproducibility of simultaneously performed cultures, optimal dilution rate and long-term performance were determined by means of volume specific lactate and biomass productivity. First indications on a reduced growth rate of the cells due to immobilization were found.

Keywords: Cell density, continuous cultivation, dilution rate, experimental error, fixed-bed, lactic acid bacteria, metabolic activity, process development, scale-down.