Immobilized cell microchannel bioreactor for evaluating fermentation characteristics of mixed substrate consumption and product formation

An immobilized cell microchannel bioreactor was designed to test continuous fermentation. The fermentation set-up included a bottom hydrophilic quartz channel to immobilize cells using 0.4 wt% polyethyleneimine and a top channel designed to continuously remove metabolically generated carbon dioxide using hydrophobic polypropylene. To evaluate fermentation characteristics of immobilized cells, ethanol fermentation was carried out using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis. The immobilized cell microchannel bioreactor was used to identify long-term activity of immobilized S. cerevisiae cells. The continuous flow microchannel bioreactor was operated stably over a period of 1 month. The immobilized cell microchannel bioreactor was used to examine the characteristics cells that consumed mixed substrates. The concentration ratio of glucose to xylose for simultaneous utilization of hemicellulosic sugars was evaluated using the microchannel bioreactor and the results were compared with those obtained by using conventional batch fermentation with P. stipitis.

► Continuous fermentation was explored by immobilization of cells on a microchannel.
► Microchannel was designed to avoid problems of trapped gas bubbles.
► Cell activity for ethanol production was tested continuously for tens of days.
► Mixed substrate uptake profile was investigated with microchannel bioreactor.