Micellar solutions of PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymers for in situ phenol removal from fermentation broth

The applicability of aqueous solutions of Pluronics for the removal of the model product phenol was evaluated. Phenol is a chemical that can be produced by a recombinant strain of the solvent tolerant bacterium Pseudomonas putida S12. However, the growth of the micro-organisms and the phenol production is inhibited at low phenol concentrations. The solubility of phenol in aqueous solutions containing micelles of Pluronics F108, F68, P105, L64, P104, P85, P103 and L122 was determined. Additionally, the regeneration behavior of the Pluronics was studied by determining the solubility of phenol in Pluronic unimers after lowering the temperature of the solution to below critical micelle temperature. The phase behavior of Pluronics in the presence of fermentation broth and the growth of P. putida S12 in the presence of Pluronics were studied. Finally, the results obtained in this study were used to estimate the amount of cooling energy needed to obtain 1 g of phenol using Pluronics P85 and P103.