Use of poly(ether-block-amide) in pervaporation coupling with a fermentor to enhance butanol production in the cultivation of Clostridium acetobutylicum

The toxicity of the end-products of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) process, mainly butanol, is recognized as the major problem contributing to the low productivity of butanol. The pervaporation technique was regarded as one of the ways to efficiently remove organic components. The results of pervaporation performance of poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane in a model solution indicated that PEBA membrane owned a higher butanol permeation flux of 9.975 g m− 2 h− 1 as opposed to 3.911 g m− 2 h− 1 using a PDMS membrane. Moreover, a higher temperature would result in a higher permeation flux, but has a lower separation factor (α) obtained, while using PEBA membrane. The batch fermentor operation connected to the pervaporation with PEBA membrane created 43% and 34% of increase in the butanol productivity and in the yield as compared to that of the simple batch. The fed-batch fermentation mode by glucose feeding combined with PEBA pervaporation lasting for 24 h could achieve 39% increase of butanol productivity as compared to a simple batch. Conclusively, the pervaporation with PEBA membrane coupling with fermentor was presumed to be capable of enhancing butanol production in ABE fermentation, which might have the potential applied in the commercialized ABE fermentation process.