Use of glycerol for producing 1,3-dihydroxyacetone by Gluconobacter oxydans in an airlift bioreactor

► The cultivation conditions for preparing resting cells of Gluconobacter oxydans ZJB09113 were optimized by RSM. ► A glycerol feeding strategy was used for 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA) production from glycerol by resting cells of G. oxydans in an internal loop airlift bioreactor. ► 156.3 ± 7.8 g/l of maximal DHA concentration with 89.8 ± 2.4% of conversion rate of glycerol to DHA was achieved after 72 h of biotransformation.