A detailed study was made of the rates of hydrolysis of trans-[Co(en)₂ (NO₂)₂] NO₃ as a function of acid concentration in perchloric, hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, and nitric acids up to high concentrations of acid. All the data could be fitted 1 to the equations proposed by Bunnett¹. (1) [log k₁ - log (H +)] = w*log a_w + Ratio and (2) [log k₁ - log Hₒ] = wlog a_w + Constant. In these equations, k₁ is the first-order rate constant, (H+) is the hydrogen-ion concentration, a_w is the activity of water in the solution, and Hₒ is the Hammett acidity function. The w and w* are the slopes"Ratio" and"Constant" are the intercepts, of plots of the left side of eq. 1 or eq. 2 versus the log a_w. Bunnett proposed that for the hydrolysis of organic compounds, wand w* values are indicative of mechanism. From the constant values of w* obtained in hydrobromic, hydrochloric, sulfuric, and perchloric acids, a mechanism involving water acting as a nucleophile was indicated. The different value of w* obtained in nitric acid was consistent with the known difference in hydration in nitric acid. Values of w also were consistent with nucleophilic attack by water. Rates of hydrolysis of trans-[Co(en)₂ (NO₂)₂] NO₃ were also measured as a function of temperature. In perchloric acid, good linear Arrhenius plots were obtained from which the energy of activation was 23.6 + 0.8 kcal. and the activation entropy was 2.9 + 2.3 eu. at the 95% confidence level. Arrhenius plots in hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, and nitric acids were curved, the amount of curvature increasing with acid concentration and temperature. At lower temperatures, the activation energy was 23-24 kcal. but decreased to as low as 12 kcal. at high acid concentrations and higher temperatures. This behavior is consistent with two consecutive reactions, the second reaction having the lower activation energy; the latter reaction was identified with addition of an anion to the intermediate nitroaquo complex. A series of dinitro complexes with"inert" ligand size varying from ammonia to 1, 10-phenanthroline was made; these complexes were studied in hydrochloric and perchloric acids. The first-order rate constant decreased as the size of the ligand increased, indicating direct participation of water in an SN₂ reaction. The values of w* in both acids were consistent with nucleophilic participation of water; for the bipyridine and orthophenanthroline complexes a lower value of w was observed. This observation could be related to the expectation that these large complexes would not be hydrated as much as the smaller compounds. A mechanism for the hydrolysis reaction consistent with the observed behavior was given. According to this mechanism, the complex is first protonated in an equilibrium step; the protonated species reacts with water to give the nitroaquo complex as the rate determaining step for all compounds· in all acids. Finally, the nitroaquo complex reacts with an anion Z⁻ (except when Z⁻ is ClO₄⁻) to give the final product of reaction. This investigation shows that Bunnett's equations are useful for correlating data, but some caution in accepting Bunnett's mechanistic interpretations from the values of w and w* is necessary. It is satisfying that application of these ideas to a totally different system (inorganic complexes) lead to a mechanism consistent with current ideas about the reactivity of coordination compounds of cobalt(III). / Doctor of Philosophy

The carbonylation of methanol to acetic acid is one of the most important applications in homogeneous catalysis. The first chapter comprises a review on the mechanistic studies into the catalytic cycle of the ‘Monsanto process’ and includes some of the most prominent studies into the use of phosphines in the rhodium-catalysed carbonylation of methanol. The second chapter of this thesis reports on an investigation into the application of rhodium complexes containing several C4 bridged diphosphines, namely BINAP, dppb, dppx and dcpb as catalysts for hydrogen tolerant methanol carbonylation. An investigation into the structure, reactivity and stability of pre-catalysts and catalyst resting states of these complexes has also been carried out. The origin of this hydrogen tolerance is explained based on the differing reactivities of the Rh acetyls with hydrogen gas, and by considering the structure of the complexes. In the third chapter I report on an investigation into how electronic properties and coordination mode affect the elimination of phosphonium salts from rhodium complexes. The stability of a range of monodentate, bidentate and tridentate rhodium-phosphine complexes was tested. I also report on the formation of a novel bidentate complex containing a partially quaternised TRIPHOS ligand and investigate the mechanism of formation using 13CH3I. Strong evidence is also presented supporting a dissociative mechanism as the means of phosphine loss from the rhodium centre. In the final chapters I report an investigation into the stability of rhodium-aminophosphine ligand complexes and into increasing the solubility of potential rhodium pre-catalysts through the use of amine-containing phosphine ligands.

Commercial pure terephthalic acid (PTA) manufacturing generates process streams mainly containing acetic acid (HAc) and water. A large financial incentive exists to replace the costly and energy intensive distillation column used to recycle HAc-water mixtures. This work focuses on the development of pervaporation technology to separate HAc-water mixtures using a hollow fiber-based membrane unit. Currently a 250 m outer diameter Matrimid® hollow fiber is used in industry for gas separation. Due to the difference between gas and liquid separations, the fiber performance associated with high flux in pervaporation is limited by a pressure change inside the bore along the axial direction of the fiber. A mathematical model was developed to describe the bore pressure change in pervaporation in this work, which demonstrated that spinning a large bore size fiber was a good solution to minimize the bore pressure change. Spinning technology has been adapted to obtain a large bore size defect-free Matrimid® hollow fiber. In addition to a large bore size, the asymmetric fiber exhibits an intrinsically defect-free selective layer supported on an open porous substrate. This eliminates the post-treatment with a caulking layer and has a special advantage for aggressive liquid separation. A proof of concept was provided by testing both small and large bore size defect-free fibers with a model 20% wt HAc feed in a pervaporation system at 101.5oC. The membrane selectivity (~ 25) and water flux (~ 4.5 kg/m2hr) were increased by about 150% with a diameter (O.D. ~ 500 m) twice as large as the regular fiber. Further, a decrease in the HAc flux was observed with the increased bore size due to the reduction in HAc-induced plasticization. Sub-Tg thermal annealing was used to stabilize the fiber by suppressing HAc-induced plasticization. This improves the polymer discrimination of shape and size for penetrants although no chemical reaction occurs with thermal annealing. The resulting membrane selectivity was increased from 10 to about 95 using a large bore size defect-free annealed fiber with acceptable water flux (~ 1.5 kg/m2hr) for 20% wt HAc concentration feed streams. These improvements make Matrimid® hollow fiber membranes very attractive for future scale-up and commercial development.

Två huvudsakliga metodprinciper används inom cytologi för diagnostisering av cellförändringar, nämligen konventionell och vätskebaserad metod. De kan båda appliceras på såväl gynekologiska som icke-gynekologiska prover, där den senare bland annat omfattar olika sorters exsudat. Syftet med den här studien var att utveckla metoden för den vätskebaserade metoden så att etanolfixerade exsudat kunde prepareras och även påvisa bättre resultat än då de preparerats med konventionell metod. För att göra detta har 61 unika prover kategoriserade som exsudat preparerats totalt, varav 61 med konventionell metod, 54 med vätskebaserad metod och 22 med vätskebaserad metod med tillsats av ättiksyra. De färdiga glasen bedömdes sedan i mikroskop och gavs scorevärden utifrån fyra parametrar: mängden celler exklusive inflammatoriska celler; bedömbarheten av cellmorfologin; mängden inflammatorisk komponent samt mängden bakgrundsmaterial. Resultaten visade ingen förbättring mellan de glas som preparerats med konventionell eller vätskebaserad metod. Däremot visade resultaten för de ättiksyrabehandlade proverna på förbättrade scorevärden jämfört med de andra metoderna. Som slutsats drogs att vätskebaserad metod med tillsats av ättiksyra uppnår syftet eftersom det reducerar mängden bakgrundsmaterial, förekomst av ring på objektglasen samt vidhåller en god cellmorfologi, vilket gör proverna lättare att diagnostisera för cytodiagnostikerna. / Two main principles is used within cytology in order to diagnose cytological abnormalities; conventional and liquid-based cytology. Both methods can be applied on both gynaecological and non-gynaecological samples of which the later includes samples categorized as exudate. The aim of this study was to develop the method for liquid-based cytology so that exudate fixated with ethanol could be prepared and also achieve better results compared to conventional method. In order to do so, 61 unique samples were prepared of which 61 with conventional method, 54 with liquid-based method and 22 with liquid-based method with added acetic acid. The slides was then examined in microscope and was given score values within four parameters: amount of cells; cell morphology; amount of inflammatory component and amount of background. The results indicated no difference between the slides prepared with conventional or liquid-based method. However, the slides prepared with addition of acetic acid indicated more opportunistic score values when compared. The conclusion was that liquid-based method with the addition of acetic acid did satisfy the aim of this study as it reduces the amount of background, reduces “ring formation” on the slides and preserve the cells morphology well, which makes the samples easier to diagnose.

Haa1 is a transcription factor that adapts Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to weak organic acid stresses by activating the expression of various genes. How Haa1 is activated by weak acids is not clear. This study proposes that Hrr25 is an important regulator of cellular adaptation to weak acid stress by inhibiting Haa1 through phosphorylation. YRO2, one of the targets of Haa1, shows increase in expression during stationary phase. This increase is due to basal activity of Haa1 and another, unknown, transcription factor. This study proposes that Gsm1 is another transcription factor that regulates YRO2 expression in the stationary phase. Finally, the mechanism of regulation of YRO2 by Haa1 is largely unknown. This study identifies two possible Haa1-medated cis-acting elements in the YRO2 promoter.

Lignocellulosic biomass is a potential feedstock for production of sugars, which can be fermented into ethanol. The work presented in this thesis proposes some solutions to overcome problems with suboptimal process performance due to elevated cultivation temperatures and inhibitors present during ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials. In particular, continuous processes operated at high dilution rates with high sugar utilisation are attractive for ethanol fermentation, as this can result in higher ethanol productivity. Both encapsulation and membrane bioreactors were studied and developed to achieve rapid fermentation at high yeast cell density. My studies showed that encapsulated yeast is more thermotolerant than suspended yeast. The encapsulated yeast could successfully ferment all glucose during five consecutive batches, 12 h each at 42 °C. In contrast, freely suspended yeast was inactivated already in the second or third batch. One problem with encapsulation is, however, the mechanical robustness of the capsule membrane. If the capsules are exposed to e.g. high shear forces, the capsule membrane may break. Therefore, a method was developed to produce more robust capsules by treating alginate-chitosan-alginate (ACA) capsules with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to get polysiloxane-ACA capsules. Of the ACA-capsules treated with 1.5% APTES, only 0–2% of the capsules broke, while 25% of the untreated capsules ruptured within 6 h in a shear test. In this thesis membrane bioreactors (MBR), using either a cross-flow or a submerged membrane, could successfully be applied to retain the yeast inside the reactor. The cross-flow membrane was operated at a dilution rate of 0.5 h-1 whereas the submerged membrane was tested at several dilution rates, from 0.2 up to 0.8 h-1. Cultivations at high cell densities demonstrated an efficient in situ detoxification of very high furfural levels of up to 17 g L-1 in the feed medium when using a MBR. The maximum yeast density achieved in the MBR was more than 200 g L-1. Additionally, ethanol fermentation of nondetoxified spruce hydrolysate was possible at a high feeding rate of 0.8 h-1 by applying a submerged membrane bioreactor, resulting in ethanol productivities of up to 8 g L-1 h-1. In conclusion, this study suggests methods for rapid continuous ethanol production even at stressful elevated cultivation temperatures or inhibitory conditions by using encapsulation or membrane bioreactors and high cell density cultivations. / <p>Akademisk avhandling som för avläggande av teknologie doktorsexamen vid Chalmers tekniska högskola försvaras vid offentlig disputation den 4 april 2014, klockan 9:30 i KE-salen, Kemigården 4, Göteborg.</p>

Trichoderma species are soil-borne filamentous fungi widely utilized for their many plant health benefits, such as conferring improved growth, disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance to their hosts. Many Trichoderma species are able to produce the auxin phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and its production has been suggested to promote root growth. Here we show that the production of IAA is strain dependent and diverse external stimuli are associated with its production. In in vitro assays, Arabidopsis primary root length was negatively affected by the interaction with some Trichoderma strains. In soil experiments, a continuum effect on plant growth was shown and this was also strain dependent. In plate assays, some strains of Trichoderma spp. inhibited the expression of the auxin reporter gene DR5 in Arabidopsis primary roots but not secondary roots. When Trichoderma spp. and A. thaliana were physically separated, enhancement of both shoot and root biomass, increased root production and chlorophyll content were observed, which strongly suggested that volatile production by the fungus influenced the parameters analyzed. Trichoderma strains T. virens Gv29.8, T. atroviride IMI206040, T. sp. "atroviride B" LU132, and T. asperellum LU1370 were demonstrated to promote plant growth through volatile production. However, contrasting differences were observed with LU1370 which had a negative effect on plant growth in soil but a positive effect in plate assays. Altogether our results suggest that the mechanisms and molecules involved in plant growth promotion by Trichoderma spp. are multivariable and are affected by the environmental conditions.

O processamento do café via úmida inclui as etapas de despolpamento, fermentação, lavagem e separação dos grãos, no qual gera-se grande quantidade de resíduos sólidos (casca e polpa) e água residuária. O estudo dos aspectos microbiológicos na produção de hidrogênio a partir de resíduos do processamento do café é pouco explorado, o que torna esse resíduo atrativo e foco de pesquisas. Neste cenário, buscou-se avaliar o potencial uso destes resíduos como substrato e fonte de bactérias e fungos fermentativos para produção de H2. Adicionalmente, estudou-se a homoacetogênese, processo que afeta a produção de H2, uma vez que o H2/CO2 pode ser consumido para a síntese de ácido acético. Para isso, ensaios em reatores em batelada foram conduzidos para seleção da melhor condição de pré-tratamento hidrotérmico (severidade), dos fatores da fermentação (pH, temperatura, agitação, volume do headspace, concentração de bioaumentação do consórcio microbiano, resíduo de polpa e casca, água residuária e extrato de levedura) que afetam a produção de H2 (Planejamento Plackett-Burman) e homoacetogênese (planejamento fracionado 24-1), seguido do delineamento composto central rotacional (DCCR) para otimização da produção de hidrogênio. Verificou-se que a severidade de pré-tratamento hidrotérmico de 3,53 (180 °C, 15 minutos), resultaram no aumento da concentração de açúcares fermentáveis, com baixa concentração de lignina, fenol, furfural e 5-hidroximentil furfural, obtendo valores de potencial máximo de produção de H2 (P) de 1,8 mL H2. Em relação ao efeito dos fatores da fermentação sobre a produção de H2, obteve-se o maior P de 82 mL H2 em pH 7,0, 30 g DQO L-1 de água residuária, 6 g L-1 de polpa e casca, 30 ºC, 50% de headspace, 180 rpm, sem bioaumentação do consórcio microbiano e 2 g L-1 de extrato de levedura. Por outro lado, as condições que conduziram a consumo significativo de H2 por homoacetogênese foram em pH inicial entre 5,5 e 7,5, headspace entre 40 e 60%, concentração de água residuária entre 10 e 30 g DQO L-1 e concentração de casca e polpa entre 3 e 9 g L-1. Em relação às variáveis estatisticamente significativas (pH, concentração de polpa e casca e volume do headspace), as condições operacionais ótimas para obtenção de P de 240 mL H2, estimadas via planejamento DCCR, foram em pH 7,0, concentração de polpa e casca 7 g L-1 e volume de headspace 30%. No consórcio microbiano, houve predominância de bactérias semelhantes a Lactobacillus sp. e Clostridium sp. e de fungos semelhantes a Saccharomyces sp. e Kazachstania sp. Tais microrganismos foram associados a produção de ácido lático, H2, etanol e ácido acético nos reatores, identificando genes relacionados a enzimas para a degradação de lignina, fenol, celulose, hemicelulose e pectina. Observou-se alta abundância relativa de Clostridium sp. tanto nos ensaios de produção de H2 quanto nos ensaios com consumo de hidrogênio, sendo seus genes associados a homoacetogênese, produção de ácido propiônico e butanol. / Wet coffee processing includes pulping, fermentation, washing and grain separation, in which large amounts of solid waste (husk and pulp) and wastewater are generated. The study of microbiological aspects in the hydrogen production from coffee waste was little explored, which makes this residue attractive and the focus of research. In this scenario, we evaluate the potential use of coffee waste as substrate and source of fermentative bacteria and fungi for H2 production. In addition, homoacetogenesis, a process, that negatively affects H2 production, was studied since H2/CO2 can be consumed for acetic acid production. Assays in batch reactors were conducted to select the best hydrothermal pretreatment condition (severity), fermentation factors affecting the H2 production (pH, temperature, agitation, headspace, bioaugmentation of microbial consortium, concentration of pulp and husk, wastewater and yeast extract) (Plackett and Burman design) and homoacetogenesis (fractional factorial design 24-1), followed by the Rotational Central Composite Design (RCCD) to optimize the H2 production. It was verified that the hydrothermal pretreatment severity of 3,53 (180 °C, 15 minutes), resulted in the increase of fermentable sugars, with low concentration of lignin, phenol, furfural and 5-hydroxyximethyl furfural, obtaining values of the maximum H2 production potential (P) of 1,8 mL H2. The fermentation factors conducing to highest P of 82 mL H2 were pH 7,0, wastewater 30 g COD L-1, 6 g L-1 pulp and husk, 30 °C, 50% headspace, 180 rpm, without bioaugmentation of the microbial consortium and 2 g L-1 yeast extract. On the other hand, the conditions leading to significant H2 consumption by homoacetogenesis were initial pH between 5,5 and 7,5, headspace between 40 and 60%, wastewater concentration between 10 and 30 g COD L-1 and concentration of husk and pulp between 3 and 9 g L-1. In relation to the fermentation factors statistically significant in the H2 production (pH, pulp and husk concentration and headspace), the optimal operational conditions to obtain P of 240 mL H2, estimated through RCCD design, were at pH 7,0, 7 g L-1 pulp and husk concentration and 30% headspace volume. In the microbial consortium, there was a predominance of bacteria similar to Lactobacillus sp. and Clostridium sp. and fungi similar to Saccharomyces sp. and Kazachstania sp. These microorganisms were associated with the production of H2, lactic acid, ethanol and acetic acid in the reactors, identifying genes related to enzymes for the degradation of lignin, phenol, cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. There was a high relative abundance of Clostridium sp. both in the H2 production assays and in the H2 consumption assays, with genes associated to homoacetogenesis, production of propionic acid and butanol.

O uso correto de produtos químicos com ação antimicrobiana na terapêutica de feridas tem sido uma das preocupações dos profissionais da saúde. A temática em questão representa uma séria problemática agravada, principalmente, pela diversidade de opções, o que traz a insegurança sobre qual é a mais indicada, bem como, pelo uso indiscriminado o que pode resultar na seleção de cepas resistentes. Diante do exposto, foi estabelecido como objetivos: avaliar in vitro a atividade antimicrobiana do ácido acético e do vinagre por meio da Técnica de Difusão de Poço sobre as cepas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli e Staphylococcus aureus; determinar a Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM); e revelar a citotoxicidade dos referidos produtos sobre Artemia salina Leach. Para análise estatística foi usado o teste de variância ANOVA – ONEWAY seguida do teste de comparações múltiplas; com nível de significância &#61537; = 5%. Assim sendo, pelo método de difusão de poço o vinagre branco, tinto (30,0 e 25,0%) e o ácido acético a 1,0 são mais eficazes que o ácido acético a 0,7%, vinagre branco e tinto a 10,0% (p<0.05) sobre as cepas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Escherichia coli. Vale considerar que os produtos analisados não apresentaram ação antimicrobiana sobre Staphylococcus aureus. A Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM) do ácido acético nas cepas avaliadas foi a 0,25%, e do vinagre branco a 2,0% para Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Escherichia coli sendo que para Staphylococcus aureus a 3,0%. As cepas de P. aeruginosa e E. coli foram todas inibidas pelo vinagre tinto a 1,5%, e sobre as de Staphylococcus aureus a 3,0%. Ainda, com relação a CIM dos produtos químicos testados, não se verificou diferença entre cepas de Staphylococcus aureus hospitalar e comunidade. O ácido acético foi citotóxica em todas as concentrações estudadas. Já, o vinagre branco e tinto em 0,25% e 0,125% não apresentaram citotoxicidade. Ainda que, não tenha sido a preocupação nesse momento de buscar correlação entre os dados desse estudo com o uso in vivo é importante atentar que tais produtos têm sido amplamente utilizados como agente antimicrobiano no tratamento de feridas, e muitas vezes em concentrações elevadas que podem causar danos aos tecidos dificultando, assim, o processo de cicatrização. A nosso ver é premente despertar nos profissionais da saúde a consciência crítica-reflexiva em relação à utilização das evidências científicas de maneira que possam analisar e aplicar com critério os resultados das pesquisas em prol da qualidade da assistência à saúde. / One of the concerns of health professionals has been the correct use of chemical products with antimicrobial action on wound therapeutics. This issue represents a serious problem, which is made even worse due to the facts that there is a diversity of options of products, which builds insecurity in regards to which product is more appropriate, and there is an uncontrolled use that may result in the selection of resistant species. In this sense, we set the following goals for this study: perform an in vitro assessment of the antimicrobial activity of acetic acid and vinegar using the Technique of Diffusion of Well on strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus; determine the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC); and reveal the cytoxicity of the referred products over Artemia salina Leach. ANOVA – ONEWAY test was used for statistic analysis, followed by the multiple comparison test; with a significance level &#61537; = 5%. By the well diffusion technique, the white vinegar, red vinegar (30 and 25%), and the acetic acid at 1.0 % are more effective than the acetic acid at 0.7%, white and red vinegar at 10% (p<0,05) over the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The analyzed products did not present antimicrobial actions over Staphylococcus aureus. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration for the acetic acid on the species was 0.25%. For white vinegar on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli was 2.0%, and 3.0% on Staphylococcus aureus. All P. aeruginosa and E. coli were inhibited by red vinegar at 1.5%, and at 3.0% for Staphylococcus aureus. In regard to the MIC of the tested chemical products, no difference was found between the hospital and community Staphylococcus aureus. Acetic acid was cytotoxic in all studied concentrations, while white and red vinegar in 0.25% and 0.125% did not show any cytoxicity. Although this study was not concerned with finding a relation among the study’s data with the in vivo use, it is important to observe that such products have been largely used as antimicrobial agents for wound treatment, at concentrations often so high that human tissue might suffer damage; thus hindering the healing process. It is, therefore, essential to stimulate health professionals a critical-reflexive consciousness regarding the use of scientific evidence in a way to analyze and apply the research outcomes in favor of a quality health care.

Bacillus thuringiensis é uma bactéria do solo, gram-positiva, que se destaca pela capacidade de sintetizar um cristal protéico, adjacente ao esporo, responsável pela ação tóxica contra diversas espécies de dípteros, como a larva do mosquito Aedes aegypti, o qual é o principal vetor da dengue. A dengue hoje é uma das doenças de maior preocupação para as agências de saúde brasileiras, uma vez que o Brasil possui temperatura e condições socio-econômicas que favorecem proliferação do mosquito transmissor. O Brasil se destaca por desenvolver combustíveis alternativos aos combustíveis de origem petrolífera, como etanol e biodiesel. Porém, durante a reação de transesterificação de óleos/gorduras para a produção de biodiesel é gerado também glicerina e, por não haver uma demanda deste sub-produto no mercado mundial, seu destino se tornou um problema e um desafio para as indústrias de biodiesel. Logo, desenvolver um bioinseticida para o combate da dengue empregando a glicerina como fonte de carbono é uma forma de encontrar novas aplicações para a glicerina e contribuir para o controle de uma doença de impacto nacional. Estudos realizados comprovaram que o ácido acético é um composto produzido e consumido pelas células de Bacillus thuringiensis durante seu crescimento. Além disso, apresenta papel fundamental para a produção de um composto chamado poli-?-hidroxibutirato (PHB), que é fundamental no fornecimento de energia para a síntese da toxina. No presente trabalho estudou-se o efeito do ácido acético sobre o crescimento de Bacillus thuringiensis e sobre a atividade larvicida do meio fermentado contra larvas de Aedes aegypti. Foram avaliadas as concentrações de 1 g/L, 3 g/L e 5 g/L de ácido acético nas seguintes fases: (i) início da fermentação, (ii) ponto de valor mínimo de pH e (iii) ponto de desaceleração do aumento do pH. Os ensaios foram realizados em frascos Erlenmeyer de 1000 mL em incubadora de movimento recíproco. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a adição de ácido acético no início e no tempo igual a 10 horas de fermentação favorece o crescimento celular e a produção de toxinas. O resultado mais expressivo de produção de toxinas foi obtido com adição de 5 g/L de ácido no início da fermentação. Neste ensaio o resultado de porcentagem de morte de larvas foi 8 superior ao resultado encontrado no ensaio sem adição de ácido (ensaio controle). Já no ensaio com adição de ácido com 20 horas de fermentação foi observada a maior concentração celular máxima, porém, obteve-se uma menor atividade larvicida do meio fermentado, comparado com o ensaio controle. / Bacillus thuringiensis is a gram-positive soil bacterium that is distinguished by the ability of synthesizing a protein crystal adjacent to the spore. This protein is responsible for the toxic action against several species of Diptera, as the larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the main vector of dengue. As Brazil possesses temperature and socioeconomic conditions that favors proliferation of the dengue transmitting mosquito, it is one of the major concerns to health agencies in Brazil. Brazil stands out for developing alternative fuel sources to petroleum fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. However, during the transesterification reaction of oils/fats for the production of biodiesel glycerin is also generated. As there is no demand for this sub-product in the global market, its fate has become a problem and a challenge for the biodiesel industry. Therefore the development of an insecticide for fighting dengue using glycerol as the carbon source is a way to find new applications for glycerin and to contribute to the control of a disease with nationwide impact, considered a public health problem. Studies have shown that acetic acid is a compound produced and consumed by Bacillus thuringiensis\' cells during their growth. Moreover, it presents a major role in the production of a compound called poly-?-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), which is critical for providing energy for the toxin synthesis. In the present study, it was studied the effect of acetic acid on the growth of Bacillus thuringiensis and on the larvicidal activity of the fermented broth on the larvae of Aedes aegypti. The concentrations tested were 1 g/L, 3 g/L and 5 g/L of acetic acid, added in the following stages: (i) beginning of the fermentation, (ii) time of minimum pH value and (iii) time of deceleration of the increasing pH value. The assays were performed in 1000 mL Erlenmeyer flasks in a reciprocating motion shaker. The results showed that the addition of acetic acid at the beginning and at 10 hours of fermentation improves cell growth and toxin production. The most significant result regarding toxin production was achieved with the addition of 5 g/L of acid at the beginning of the fermentation. In this assay the net percentage of killing of the larvae was eight times higher than the results found in the test without the addition of acid (control test). For the test in which acetic acid was added at 20 hours of fermentation it was observed a higher cellular concentration, however, there was a lower larvicidal activity of the fermented broth, compared to the control test.