AU2005203470B2 - Process For Production Of Biopolymers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater - Google Patents
Process For Production Of Biopolymers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater Download PDFInfo
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- AU2005203470B2 AU2005203470B2 AU2005203470A AU2005203470A AU2005203470B2 AU 2005203470 B2 AU2005203470 B2 AU 2005203470B2 AU 2005203470 A AU2005203470 A AU 2005203470A AU 2005203470 A AU2005203470 A AU 2005203470A AU 2005203470 B2 AU2005203470 B2 AU 2005203470B2
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- nitrogen
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- dissolved oxygen
- treatment system
- wastewater
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- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 title claims description 103
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 55
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims description 52
- 239000002351 wastewater Substances 0.000 title claims description 45
- 229920001222 biopolymer Polymers 0.000 title claims description 36
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims description 26
- 230000002950 deficient Effects 0.000 title claims description 21
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 38
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 38
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims description 38
- 239000005014 poly(hydroxyalkanoate) Substances 0.000 claims description 34
- 229920000903 polyhydroxyalkanoate Polymers 0.000 claims description 33
- 244000005700 microbiome Species 0.000 claims description 24
- 239000002028 Biomass Substances 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000010802 sludge Substances 0.000 claims description 17
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000000039 congener Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000012010 growth Effects 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- REKYPYSUBKSCAT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 3-hydroxypentanoic acid Chemical compound CCC(O)CC(O)=O REKYPYSUBKSCAT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000002253 acid Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- WHBMMWSBFZVSSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 3-hydroxybutyric acid Chemical compound CC(O)CC(O)=O WHBMMWSBFZVSSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005273 aeration Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000005416 organic matter Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000009469 supplementation Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- HPMGFDVTYHWBAG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid Chemical compound CCCC(O)CC(O)=O HPMGFDVTYHWBAG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrogen group Chemical group [N] QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000004065 wastewater treatment Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000010842 industrial wastewater Substances 0.000 description 5
- UQGPCEVQKLOLLM-UHFFFAOYSA-N pentaneperoxoic acid Chemical compound CCCCC(=O)OO UQGPCEVQKLOLLM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000000855 fermentation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 3
- WHBMMWSBFZVSSR-UHFFFAOYSA-M 3-hydroxybutyrate Chemical compound CC(O)CC([O-])=O WHBMMWSBFZVSSR-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 2
- SJZRECIVHVDYJC-UHFFFAOYSA-M 4-hydroxybutyrate Chemical compound OCCCC([O-])=O SJZRECIVHVDYJC-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 2
- 229920001817 Agar Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 241000894008 Azorhizobium Species 0.000 description 2
- XSQUKJJJFZCRTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Urea Chemical compound NC(N)=O XSQUKJJJFZCRTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 150000007513 acids Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000008272 agar Substances 0.000 description 2
- WPYMKLBDIGXBTP-UHFFFAOYSA-N benzoic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1 WPYMKLBDIGXBTP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000004202 carbamide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 125000004494 ethyl ester group Chemical group 0.000 description 2
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000813 microbial effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 235000015097 nutrients Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000011368 organic material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000000704 physical effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241000894007 species Species 0.000 description 2
- 230000006641 stabilisation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 108020004465 16S ribosomal RNA Proteins 0.000 description 1
- JRHWHSJDIILJAT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-hydroxypentanoic acid Chemical class CCCC(O)C(O)=O JRHWHSJDIILJAT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 241000589941 Azospirillum Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000589154 Azotobacter group Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000005711 Benzoic acid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 241000190834 Chromatiaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241001180360 Derxia Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000588921 Enterobacteriaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 101100520151 Mus musculus Pirt gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 241001028048 Nicola Species 0.000 description 1
- 244000137852 Petrea volubilis Species 0.000 description 1
- OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Phosphorus Chemical compound [P] OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 241000947836 Pseudomonadaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241001633102 Rhizobiaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000131970 Rhodospirillaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000589971 Spirochaetaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000589506 Xanthobacter Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000035508 accumulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000009603 aerobic growth Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001580 bacterial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000010233 benzoic acid Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000031018 biological processes and functions Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- SZORMCBRRGPWKG-UHFFFAOYSA-N butanoic acid;pentanoic acid Chemical compound CCCC(O)=O.CCCCC(O)=O SZORMCBRRGPWKG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001735 carboxylic acids Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000004113 cell culture Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001413 cellular effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001212 derivatisation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000002148 esters Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 125000001495 ethyl group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])C([H])([H])* 0.000 description 1
- 230000004151 fermentation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002290 gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000008187 granular material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007154 intracellular accumulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003834 intracellular effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006799 invasive growth in response to glucose limitation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000031852 maintenance of location in cell Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000178 monomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010899 nucleation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010893 paper waste Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052698 phosphorus Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011574 phosphorus Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004537 pulping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011160 research Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010186 staining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000930 thermomechanical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005809 transesterification reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Micro-Organisms Or Cultivation Processes Thereof (AREA)
- Activated Sludge Processes (AREA)
Description
05-AUG-2005 04:40PM FROM- T-421 P.004/022 F-712 Regulation 3.2
AUSTRALIA
PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION
FOR A STANDARD
PATENT
ORIGINAL
Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: NEW ZEALAND FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE LTD NICOLA MAREE REID, ALISON HYDE SLADE and TREVOR RAYMOND STUTHRIDGE A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Process For Production Of Biopolymrers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.
445807_1.DOC COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 .14-DEC -200? 09:03 A J PARK 64 9 3566990 P.03 PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF BIOPOLYMERS FROM NITROGEN O DEFICIENT WASTEWATER O FIELD OF INVENTION The invention comprises a process for the production of biopolymers from nitrogendeficient wastewater, such as wastewater from pulp and paper production.
BACKGROUND
o Aerobic biological processes are commonly used in the treatment of industrial wastewater, before discharge to the environment. In such processes micro-organisms consume wastewater contaminants, and are encouraged to proliferate in reactor systems under intensive aeration. A variety of process configurations are known, such as activated sludge, moving bed biofilm reactors, membrane bioreactors, aerated lagoons and aerated CN stabilisation basins. Aerated lagoons and aeration stabilisation basins are examples of low rate biological treatment systems, whilst activated sludge and variant systems and moving bed biofilm reactors are high rate biological treatment systems.
Pulp and paper mill wastewaters are typically deficient in nutrient nitrogen required to support bacterial growth for biological treatment. Conventionally activated sludge processes used in the pulp and paper industry are operated with the addition of nitrogen to the system,typically in the form of urea. Other industrial wastewaters can also be nitrogendeficient. By "nitrogen-deficient wastewater" is meant wastewater for which, due to lack of available nitrogen in the wastewater, an additional nitrogen source is required for the biological consumption of the biodegradable organic material present.
It has also previously been proposed to use industrial wastewaters to produce biopolymers having economic value. For example Japanese patent application 3143397 discloses a method for the production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) wherein a carbon source is added to an activated sludge so as to raise microbial numbers. Denitrification of this culture is then required prior to its aerobic culture under nitrogen deficient conditions to achieve the intracellular accumulation of polyhydroxybutyric acid. Japanese patent 2514131 requires wastewater to be treated to undergo an initial anaerobic acid fermentation so as to achieve a conversion of the organic content of the wastewater to carboxylic acids. The fermented wastewater then undergoes a nitrogen removal step prior to its use as a feed for nitrogen fixing micro-organisms. Application of this method for the 2 COMS ID No: ARCS-172331 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:00 Date 2007-12-14 ,14-DEC-2007 09:04 A J PARK 64 9 3566990 P.044 production of polymers, such as PHAs accumulated in the nitrogen-fixing microo organisms, is also disclosed. Both methods require removal of nitrogen in a separate step, prior to the use of the wastewater for the production of polymer.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention provides an improved or at least alternative process for the production of hydroxyalkanoic acids or their polymers from wastewaters.
0 In broad terms the invention comprises a process for producing biopolymers comprising passing nitrogen deficient wastewater through a treatment system comprising micro- Sorganisms which grow aerobically in nitrogen deficient wastewater and controlling the environment in said treatment system by maintaining a sufficiently stable dissolved oxygen Slevel to thereby encourage the growth and/or activity of micro-organisms which produce the biopolymers, and recovering biomass produced and the biopolymers.
Typically the dissolved oxygen level in the treatment system is monitored and aeration is controlled to maintain a substantially stable dissolved oxygen level. The pH, temperature, loading rate and any nutrient addition will generally be conventional.
Ideally the process is also operated to remove contaminants from the wastewater and the dissolved oxygen is maintained at a level which also optimises organic matter removal in relation to biomass or biopolymer yield.
Preferably the process also includes maintaining a sufficiently stable dissolved oxygen level in the treatment system to also encourage the growth and/or activity of nitrogenfixing micro-organisms, so that nitrogen supplementation is not required.
Preferably the biopolymer produced comprises a hydroxyalkanoic acid or a polyester thereof. Preferably the polyhydroxyalkanoate polyester produced includes 3-hydroxybutyric acid and/or 3-hydroxyvalerate and/or 3 -hydroxyhexanoate and/or other hydroxyalkanoic acid congeners.
Preferably the process includes maintaining the dissolved oxygen level at a stable level selected to thereby select the polymer composition of the biopolymer(s) produced such as the relative proportion of congeners.
3 COMS ID No: ARCS-172331 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:00 Date 2007-12-14 ,14-DEQ-2007 09:04 A J PRRK ,14DEQ200 0904 3 ORK64 9 3566990 S Typically the wastewater is pulp and paper wastewater but the process of the invention may alternatively be applied to any other nitrogen-deficient industrial wastewater.
Typically the nitrogen-deficient wastewater may have a biochemical oxygen demand (13OD) to nitrogen ratio of greater than 100:5, more typically greater than 100-2, most typically greater than 100; 1.
Typically the treatment system is a high rate biological treatment system such as an 10 activated sludge system.
(N The micro-organisms may be indigenous to the wastewater and the process conditions are controlled to encourage growth of the required isolates of species, or the wastewater may be seeded with biopolymer producing and/or nitrogen fixing micro-organisms. One or more of the micro-organisms may be imumobilised or restricted to a solid support submerged or held within the wastewater being treated.
The term compnising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of'- When interpreting each statement in this specification that includes the term "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by ttie.4terrn may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of infonination, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the commuon general knowledge in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying figures which are referred to in the examples in which: Figure 1 schematically shows one form of the process of the invention, 4 COMS ID No: ARCS-i 72331 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:00 Date 2007-12-14 05-AUG-2005 04:41PM FROM- T-421 P.008/022 F-712 0 Figure 2 is a photomicrograph of isolate 8 (PHA stain, 1000 x magnification) which is N' referred to in example 3, and Figure 3 is a total ion chromatogram of ethyl ester derivatives of an extract from biomass from nitrogen deficient wastewater, produced as described in example 3, confirming production of PHA.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION
N 10 We have found that by maintaining a sufficiently stable dissolved oxygen level in an o aerobic biological treatment system comprising as a media nitrogen deficient wastewater, othe growth and accumulation of PHA or other biopolymer producing micro-organisms occurs and is encouraged. Nitrogen-deficient wastewater is supplied to a treatment system such as an activated sludge system, which is typically operated at a normal operating p-, phosphorus level and temperature to facilitate biological growth, and with monitoring of the dissolved oxygen level and aeration control to maintain the dissolved oxygen level at a substantially stable level. The dissolved oxygen level is controlled at a level which is optimmn for production of the biopolymers and preferably also efficient removal of organic matter, whilst producing an acceptable biomass yield. The stability of the dissolved oxygen level is believed to be of greater significance than the specific level.
Some industrial wastewater such as pulp and paper wastewater typically has a low nitrogen content relative to the organic carbon content. Nitrogen may be added as urea or in another form. However in the process of the invention the micro-organisms may also obtain sufficient nitrogen for growth by fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Maintaining a substantially stable dissolved oxygen level also encourages nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
Known processes for producing biopolymers from pulp and paper wastewater may require 3o anaerobic fermentation before aerobic growth of the biopolymer producing microorganisms. We have found that in the process of the invention micro-organisms from pulp COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:41PM FROM- T-421 P-009/022 F-T12 Sand paper wastewater can produce PHAs without the requirement for an anaerobic fermentation prior to the productive growth of PHA producing micro-organisms.
The process of the invention is effectively carried out in an activated sludge treatment system, but may potentially be applied to other forms of high rate system. With an activated sludge system, the dissolved oxygen level, coupled with organic loading, solids oretention time, and food to micro-organism ratio, is selected to give the best production of biopolymers, such as PHAs, and optionally removal of organic matter (as measured by nCOD, BOD or TOC). An activated sludge system for example may comprise mutltiple 0 S tanks or zones operating under different conditions and in such a multi tank/zone system othe process of the invention may operate in, for example, two separate environments each ohaving a different but stable dissolved oxygen level. For example a first tank/zone may optimise organics removal while a second tank/zone may be used to optimise PHA production. Both tanks may be nitrogen-fixing environments. In addition a PHA producing, nitrogen-fixing system of the invention, whether as a single or multi-tank system, may be used in conjunction with and prior to a conventional non-nitrogen-fixing system to process nitrogen-deficient wastewater, without the need for supplementary nitrogen, to produce PHAs and processed wastewater having a low soluble nitrogen content.
We have also found that it is possible to control the polymer composition of PEA polymer produced and in particular the relative proportion of congeners, by selecting the dissolved oxygen level at which the process is run. The polymer composition may comprise hydroxybutyrate, hydroxyvalerate and other higher carbon chain hydroxy-aliphatie acids.
Different proportions of congeners are produced by different dissolved oxygen levels. For example, we have found that a greater hydroxy-valerate fraction may be produced at lower dissolved oxygen concentrations and a lower hydroxy-valerate fraction maybe produced at higher dissolved oxygen concentrations.
Under the conditions of the process of the invention PRA producing and optionally also nitrogen-fixing micro-organisms will proliferate. However seeding of the treatment system with appropriate organisms is not excluded. Micro-organisms that contain 6 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:41PM FROM- T-421 P-010/22 F-712 0 0 i i0 o members known to fix nitrogen and/or produce PHAs which could be used to seed the treatment system include: Azotobacteraceae, Enterobacteraceae, Spirochaetaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Rhodospirillaceae, Chromatiaceae, Bacillaceaeae, Methlococcaceae, Beirerinckia spp, Derxia spp, Azospirillum spp, Xanhobacter spp, 5 Azorhizobium spp.
The above is not intended to be exhaustive and there may be other species of biopolymer producing and/or nitrogen-fixing organisms which may be equally or more effective in the process of the invention.
The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples: Example 1 Production of intracellular biopolymers and removal of soluble organic material (COD(s)) was studied in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system without recycle under three different feed substrate concentrations. The CSTR was operated under nitrogen fixing conditions of controlled dissolved oxygen. The BOD:N ratio was approximately 100:0.3.
Table 1 gives a summary of the main parameters obtained in this work for the three different feed substrate concentrations.
Table 1: Biomass N and treatment performance data obtained from CSTR Parameter Feed COD(s)
HRT
Dissolved oxygen Observed yield COD(s) removed Reactor biomass mg/L d mgTSS/mgCOD mg/L mg/L Condition Condition Condition 1 2 3 450 840 630 0.5 0.5 30 30 0.18-0.26 0.14-0.19 0.14-0.19 180-252 590-630 388-426 44-53 72-74 63-66 47-57 107-129 70-86 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:42PM FROM- T-421 P.011/022 F-712 Parameter Condition Condition Condition 2 3 N-fixationrate mgN/mgTSS.d 0.09-0.16 0.13-0.15 0.12-0.15 Biomass N mgN/mgTSS 0.04-0.07 0.06-0.07 0.06-0.07 o Biomass P mgP/mgTSS .002-.007 .007-.013 0.070.011 STable 1 presents data on the nitrogen content of the biomass. For all feed substrate concentrations, the nitrogen content of the biomass was low (0.07 mg N/mg TSS or 7%) compared with 12%, the average composition of cell tissue (Pirt, 1975). The low values 5 observed in this system were attributed to the intracellular storage of polymers resulting in o an increased C:N ratio due to high cellular carbon content and low biomass nitrogen 0 concentrations. This was confirmed with microscopic examination using a stain specific for the detection of PHAs.
Table 2: Description of isolates from a pulp and paper waste treatment system that tested positive for PHA production Isolate 1 Isolate 2 Isolate 3 Isolate 4 Colony morphology on large, brown, yellow, round bright yellow, creamy NFMSA agar irregular, smooth, dry, small, brown, round, raised, tough glistening round smooth Cell morphology curved rods dumbell rods small dumbell long dumbell day old cultures on rods rods NFMS agar) 16S rDNA sequence Azorhizobium Xanthobacter Xanthobacter Xanthobacter identification spp. spp. spp. spp.
PHA stain t Ability to fix nitrogen The PHA staining technique of (Gerhardt et al., 1994) was used. Using this technique PHA granules stain darkly against a lighter background, as illustrated in Figure 2.
8 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:42PM FROM- T-421 P-012/022 F-712 0 The above results evidence that PHA can be synthesised by micro-organisms indigenous to Sthe treatment system with good treatment performance (as measured by COD(s) removal) Sin a nitrogen-fixing pulp and paper treatment system.
t 5 Example 2 A nitrogen fixing bioreactor treating a pulp and paper wastewater with a BOD:N ratio of approximately 100:0.8 was operated under nitrogen-fixing conditions. Samples from the mixed liquor were characterised and quantified using a transesterification ethyl/propyl- S 10 ester derivatisation and GC-MS technique.
SA range of PHA contents between 1.2% to 11% dry weight of biomass were measured in the microbial biomass.
Figure 3 is a chromatogram showing the abundance of ethyl ester derivatives of an extract from the nitrogen fixing bioreactor. The PHA produced consisted of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) and 3-hydroxyhexanoate units. Benzoic acid was used as an internal standard. It has been observed that PHAs with different relative monomer compositions were produced under different bioreactor conditions.
Example 3 The following results were obtained from a single stage activated sludge pilot plant. The feed to the pilot plant was thermomechanical pulping wastewater (TMP) with a BOD;N ratio of 100:0.8 and a loading rate of BODs 1.07 kg BODs.m3.d 1 Nitrogen was not supplemented. Dissolved oxygen was controlled at 14% in phase one of the experiment and 5% during phase two of the experiment.
9 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:42PM FROM- T-421 P.013/022 F-T12 o Table 3: PHA production from a nitrogen-fixing activated sludge system treating pulp ^C and paper wastewater <1 setting, mean 95 production*, butyrate valerat, butyra ratio CI g/kg dry total PHA* total PHA* weight 0biomass 14 13.79 /-0.02 41 83 17 0.2 13.75 0.01 30 80 20 0.24 7r 13.76 0.04 68 83 17 0.20 13.54 0.06 25 70 30 0.43 mean 41 79 21 0.27 0 95% CI 19 6 6 0.10 0 5 4.46 0.02 44 47 53 1.15 4.57 39 48 52 1.07 4.53 0.04 40 70 30 0.43 mean 41 55 45 0.88 CI 3 15 15 0.45 hydroxybutyrate and hydroxyvalerate only congeners analysed in this example Biomass production rates: Pilot sludge discharge: 135.5 litres per cubic metre wastewater per day. Sludge dry weight concentration: 5 g/L wasted sludge Sludge discharge rate: 677.5 g per cubic metre wastewater per day. PHA yield: 40 g/kg dry weight sludge PHA production rate: 27 g PHA per cubic metre wastewater per day The results show that polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) were produced from nitrogen deficient treatment system without nitrogen supplementation or the requirement of a nitrogen removal step. In this example, PHA composition was changed by selecting the dissolved oxygen concentration, with a greater hydroxyvalerate fraction being produced under lower dissolved oxygen concentrations. Hydroxyalkanoate monomeric composition determines the physical properties of the PHA polymer. For example, higher ratios of the Cs Cn congeners lead to softer plastics. This example demonstrates that it is possible to COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05 05-AUG-2005 04:42PM FROM- T-421 P.014/022 F-T712 alter the ratios of the congeners, such as hydroxybutyric and hydroxyvalerate acids and thereby control the physical properties of the polymer composition.
,1 The foregoing describes the invention and examples thereof. Aherations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated in the scope hereof.
SREFERENCES
o Gerhardt, Murray, Wood, Krieg, eds. (1994). Methods for general and molecular bacteriology. Washington DC: American Society for Microbiology Pirt, S.J. (1975). Principles of microbe and cell cultivation. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications.
11 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05
Claims (3)
- 05-AUG-Z005 04:43PM FROM- T-421 P.015/022 F-712 O WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process for producing biopolymers comprising passing nitrogen deficient o wastewater through a treatment system comprising microorganisms which grow s aerobically in nitrogen deficient wastewater, and controlling the environment in o said treatment system by maintaining a sufficiently stable dissolved oxygen level to thereby encourage the growth of microorganisms which produce the biopolymers, allowing biomass and biopolymer production, and recovering the biomass produced N, and the biopolymers. o 10 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the stable dissolved oxygen level also encourages the biopolymer production activity of the microorganisms. A process for prodneing biopolymers comprising passing nitrogen deficient wastewater through a treatment system comprising microorganisms which grow aerobically in nitrogen deficient wastewater, and controlling the environment in said treatment system by maintaining a sufficiently stable dissolved oxygen level to thereby encourage the biopolymer production activity of microorganisms which produce the biopolymers, allowing biomass and biopolymer production, and recovering the biomass produced and the biopolymers. 4. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the stable dissolved oxygen level in the treatment system encourages the growth and/or activity of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the biopolymer produced comprises a hydroxyalkanoic acid or a polyester thereof.
- 6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate polyester produced includes 3-hydroxybutyric acid and/or 3-hydroxyvalerate and/or 3- hydroxyhexanoate and/or other hydroxyalkanoic acid congeners. 12 COMS ID No: SBMI-01401930 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:57 Date 2005-08-05
- 114-DEQ-2007 09:04 A J PARK 64 9 3566990 P.06 7. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the process excludes a o transition from anaerobic to aerobic culture conditions or a requirement for a nitrogen supplementation or nitrogen removal step. S8. A process according to any one of claims I to 7 wherein the BOD:nitrogen ratio in the nitrogen-deficient wastewater is greater than 100:5, greater than 100:2, or greater than 100:1. 0^ 9. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the wastewater is nitrogen deficient wastewater resulting from pulp or pulp and paper production. A process according to any one of the preceding claims where operational S 10 conditions within the treatment system are selected and maintained to achieve good treatment performance and biopolymer production in a recoverable form, or where operational conditions within the treatment system are selected and maintained to determine biopolymer composition. 11. A process according to any one of the preceding claims including controlling aeration in the treatment system to maintain said substantially stable dissolved oxygen level. 12. A process according to any one of the preceding claims including maintaining the dissolved oxygen level at a stable level selected to also achieve good treatment performance in relation to organic matter removal, or maintaining the dissolved oxygen level at a stable level selected to thereby select the polymer composition of the biopolymer(s) produced. 13. A process according to claim 12 including maintaining the dissolved oxygen level at a stable level selected to thereby select the relative proportions of congeners of a polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer produced, or selecting between a lower dissolved oxygen concentration to increase the relative proportion of congeners and a higher dissolved oxygen concentration to decrease the relative proportion of congeners produced. 13 COMS ID No: ARCS-172331 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:00 Date 2007-12-14 J4-DE-2007 09:05 A J PARK 64 9 3566990 P.07 14. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the dissolved o oxygen level is maintained stable at a selected level between 5 and o 15. A process as claimed in claim 14 wherein the oxygen level selected is 14% or 0 16. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the treatment system is a high rate biological treatment system or a high rate biological treatment system that is an activated sludge system. g 17. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the treatment system includes one controlled zone in which the dissolved oxygen level is S 10 maintained at a level which optimises biopolymer production and another N controlled zone in which the dissolved oxygen level is maintained at a level which optimises treatment performance in relation to organic matter removal. 18. A process according to any one of the preceding claims further including subsequently treating an outflow from the controlled environment through a conventional wastewater treatment plant including non-nitrogen-fixing organisms, without nitrogen supplementation. 19. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, which is carried out with nitrogen supplementation. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the controlled environment is seeded with biopolymer-producing and/or nitrogen-fixing micro- organisms. 21. Biopolymers produced by the process of any one of claims 1 to 22. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof. 23. Biopolymers as claimed in claim 21 substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof 14 TOTAL P.07 COMS ID No: ARCS-172331 Received by IP Australia: Time 08:00 Date 2007-12-14
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2005203470A AU2005203470B2 (en) | 1999-11-18 | 2005-08-05 | Process For Production Of Biopolymers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ501152 | 1999-11-18 | ||
| NZ50115299 | 1999-11-18 | ||
| PCT/NZ2000/000234 WO2001036652A1 (en) | 1999-11-18 | 2000-11-20 | Process for production of biopolymers from nitrogen deficient wastewater |
| AU2005203470A AU2005203470B2 (en) | 1999-11-18 | 2005-08-05 | Process For Production Of Biopolymers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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| AU19024/01A Division AU1902401A (en) | 1999-11-18 | 2000-11-20 | Process for production of biopolymers from nitrogen deficient wastewater |
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| Publication Number | Publication Date |
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| AU2005203470A1 AU2005203470A1 (en) | 2005-09-01 |
| AU2005203470B2 true AU2005203470B2 (en) | 2008-01-10 |
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| AU2005203470A Ceased AU2005203470B2 (en) | 1999-11-18 | 2005-08-05 | Process For Production Of Biopolymers From Nitrogen Deficient Wastewater |
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| AU (1) | AU2005203470B2 (en) |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3721622A (en) * | 1972-03-10 | 1973-03-20 | R Finn | Process for the bio-oxidation of nitrogen deficient waste materials |
| JPH03143397A (en) * | 1989-10-31 | 1991-06-18 | Taisei Corp | Production of beta-hydroxybutyric acid and polymer thereof |
| JPH0596296A (en) * | 1991-10-08 | 1993-04-20 | Ebara Infilco Co Ltd | Method for treating nitrogen deficient organic waste water, production of copolyester from said waste water and apparatus therefor |
| WO1999062833A1 (en) * | 1998-06-04 | 1999-12-09 | New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited | Wastewater treatment process |
| WO2000052189A1 (en) * | 1999-03-03 | 2000-09-08 | Technische Universiteit Delft | Method for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate |
-
2005
- 2005-08-05 AU AU2005203470A patent/AU2005203470B2/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3721622A (en) * | 1972-03-10 | 1973-03-20 | R Finn | Process for the bio-oxidation of nitrogen deficient waste materials |
| JPH03143397A (en) * | 1989-10-31 | 1991-06-18 | Taisei Corp | Production of beta-hydroxybutyric acid and polymer thereof |
| JPH0596296A (en) * | 1991-10-08 | 1993-04-20 | Ebara Infilco Co Ltd | Method for treating nitrogen deficient organic waste water, production of copolyester from said waste water and apparatus therefor |
| WO1999062833A1 (en) * | 1998-06-04 | 1999-12-09 | New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited | Wastewater treatment process |
| WO2000052189A1 (en) * | 1999-03-03 | 2000-09-08 | Technische Universiteit Delft | Method for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate |
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| Braunegg, G. et al., J. of Biotechnol., vol. 65, 127-161. 1998. * |
| Chua. H et al., Appl. Biochem. & Biotech., vol. 77-79,389-399, April 1999 (20th Symp. on Biotech. for Fuels and Chem., 1998). * |
| De Koning. G. et al., 1996 Int. Symp. on Bacterial Polyhydroxyalkanoates, 137-142, 1997. * |
| Holowach, L.P. et al.,American Chem. Society Symp. Serries, vol. 575, 202-21 1, 1994. * |
| Pal, S. et al., Folia Microbiologica, vol. 43 (2). 177-181, 1998. * |
| Yu. P. H. et al.,Macromol. Symp. Vol. 148 415-424, Dec 1999 (7th Int. Conference on Polymer Characterisation. Uni of North Texas. Denton, Texas, Jan 4-8. 1999). * |
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| AU2005203470A1 (en) | 2005-09-01 |
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