The present study investigated the capability of Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 to utilize various industrial or agricultural by-products for the production of lipids. The substrates analyzed were used restaurant oil (yellow grease) and animal fat (white grease) derived crude glycerol from biodiesel production, and sweet sorghum juice. Crude glycerol is the primary by-product from biodiesel production - 0.66 lb is generated for each gallon of biodiesel produced. The crude glycerol can be purified and used in food, chemical, drug, and other industries. Purification however, is an expensive and complicated process therefore other economical uses of crude glycerol must be identified such as the one described in this study - fermentation of crude glycerol via S. limacinum SR21 to produce lipids which then serve as biodiesel feedstocks. Sweet sorghum juice is harvested from the sweet sorghum plant, a C4 plant possessing high photosynthetic efficiency and high sugar yield including glucose, sucrose, and fructose. The juice is typically used for white sugar production, but may be a good substitution for common substrates used in lipid production via S. limacinum SR21. S. limacinum SR21 is a fast growing microalga capable of accumulating large quantities of lipids, which have applications in human health products, biodiesel, and animal feed. In separate batch studies, S. limacinum SR21 was grown on each substrate and monitored. On crude glycerol derived from yellow grease, 25 and 35 g/l were the optimal doses for untreated and treated crude glycerol, respectively. Biomass dry weights of 8.3 and 11.3 g/l were attained for these doses, respectively. The highest crude lipid content of all doses, 73.3%, was with 35 g/l treated crude glycerol. Crude glycerol derived from animal fats also provided similar results to these. S. limacinum SR21 grown on sweet sorghum juice furnished similar biomass density and lipid content. The optimum does of 50% juice produced a biomass dry weight of 9.4 g/l and 73.4% lipid content. While biomass dry weight was lower than that grown on glucose (10.9 g/l), lipid content was higher than typical values (50%). Of the three sugars, only glucose was utilized for growth. The remaining medium may still be used for white sugar production since fructose and sucrose were not consumed. Both crude glycerol and sweet sorghum juice caused substrate inhibition at high doses, and presence of methanol in crude glycerol presented an additional prohibitory effect on cell growth. Major fatty acids were nearly identical among the lipids produced from different substrates. This research shows that at certain concentrations of both crude glycerol and sweet sorghum juice can be utilized by S. limacinum SR21 to yield substantial quantities of lipids. Based upon the results revealed from the batch stage studies, large scale lipid production from industrial or agricultural by-products could be a reality in the near future. This production process will: 1) eliminate excessive crude glycerol from the market, 2) produce high-value lipids in an environmentally friendly, economical, and sustainable way, and 3) provide lipid feedstocks for various industrial applications.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5, n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6, n-3), have many medically established benefits against cardiovascular diseases, cancers, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's. Currently, fish oil is the main source of omega-3 fatty acids, but there are many problems associated with it such as undesirable taste and odor, and heavy metal contamination. As a result, it is necessary to seek alternative production sources based on various microorganisms. In this thesis we have developed a novel microfungal culture process to produce EPA from the crude glycerol byproduct generated in biodiesel industry. This process provides both an alternative source of omega-3 fatty acids and a benefit to the biodiesel industry. Indeed, as oil prices reach historical highs, biodiesel has attracted increasing interest throughout the United States. The disposal of the crude glycerol byproduct has been a challenge faced by the biodiesel producers. Crude glycerol presents a cheap carbon source for growth of many microorganisms. In this thesis, we tested the feasibility of using crude glycerol for producing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5, n-3) by one algal species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and two fungal species, Mortierella alpina and Pythium irregulare. We observed that the algal growth is inhibited in the crude glycerol while the fungi can grow very well in crude glycerol-containing medium. The fungus M. alpina produced significant amount of ARA but negligible amount of EPA. P. irregulare produced significant amount of biomass as well as a relatively high level of EPA. The maximum dry biomass for the P. irregulare culture was 2.9 g/L with an EPA productivity of 7.99 mg/L-day. Based on these results, we concluded that P. irregulare was a promising candidate for EPA production from biodiesel derived crude glycerol. Further optimization work showed that P. irregulare grown 30 g/L crude glycerol and 10g/L yeast extract results in the highest level of EPA production. A temperature of 20o C is optimal for high fungal biomass and EPA levels. Addition of vegetable oil (at 1%) enhanced the EPA production and almost doubled the amount of biomass reached. Soap inhibits growth as well as EPA production severely even in small amounts. Methanol completely inhibits growth. The final optimized growth conditions for the fungus P.irregulare were a medium with 30g/L of crude glycerol, 10 g/L of yeast extract at a pH of 6 with 1% supplementation of oil, at a temperature of 20o C for a period of 7 days.Thus we have established that the fungus P.irregulare can be used successfully to produce high mounts of EPA from crude glycerol. / Master of Science

Crude glycerol is the major byproduct of the biodiesel industry. In general, for every 100 pounds of biodiesel produced, approximately 10 pounds of crude glycerol are created. Because this glycerol is expensive to purify for use in food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetics industries, biodiesel producers must seek alternative methods for its disposal. Using crude glycerol as a carbon source for fermentation is a promising alternative use for this waste material. In this project, we propose to use crude glycerol in the fermentation of the microalga Schizochytrium limacinum, which is a prolific producer of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid with proven beneficial effects on treating human diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and Alzheimer's. The first part of this study provided "proof-of-concept" that Schizochytrium limacinum was capable of utilizing crude glycerol while producing DHA. The results show that pretreated crude glycerol was a viable carbon source for algal growth and DHA production, with 75 g/L to 100 g/L of glycerol being the optimum concentration range. In addition to glycerol concentration, temperature, trace metal levels, ammonium acetate concentration, and NH4Cl concentration also had significant effects (P < 0.1) on algal DHA production. Optimizing these factors using response surface methodology led to a DHA yield of 4.91 g/L and a DHA productivity of 0.82 g/L-day. The second part of this study investigated the effects of impurities within the glycerol on DHA production and algal biomass composition, with a goal of ensuring that the algal biomass produced from crude glycerol can be safely utilized as an ingredient in omega-3 fortified foods or animal feed additives. Crude glycerol samples obtained from different biodiesel producers were tested. All the samples contained methanol, soaps, and various elements including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium, and zinc. Both methanol and soaps in the glycerol negatively influence algal DHA production. The two impurities can be removed from the culture medium by evaporation through autoclaving (for methanol) or by precipitation through pH adjustment (for soap). The results showed that the crude glycerol-derived algal biomass contained 45-50% lipid, 14-20% protein, and 25% carbohydrate, with 8-13% ash content. Palmitic acid (C16:0) and DHA (C22:6) were the two major fatty acids in the algal lipid. ICP analysis showed that that boron, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium, and sulfur were present in the algal biomass, but no heavy metals (such as mercury) were detected. The crude glycerol-derived algal biomass had a high level of DHA and a nutritional profile similar to glucose-derived commercial algal biomass, suggesting a great potential for using crude-glycerol derived algae in omega-3 fortified food or feed. Overall, this study shows that crude glycerol can be used as a safe and effective substrate for algal culture to produce high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. With the rapid expansion of the biodiesel industry, there is an urgent need to develop new markets for large quantities of crude glycerol. This research provides an exciting opportunity to utilize a large quantity of this low grade glycerol. / Master of Science

Crude glycerol is the major byproduct of the biodiesel industry. There is an abundance of this byproduct and purifying it for use in industries such as food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic is prohibitively expensive. Developing an alternative use for crude glycerol is needed. Utilizing it as a carbon source in the fermentation of algae is one potential method for using this under-utilized byproduct. In this research, crude glycerol is used in the mixotrophic production of the alga, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, which is an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) producing diatom. Mixotrophic growth is when cells perform autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of growth concurrently. EPA is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been demonstrated to have a multitude of beneficial health effects, including maintaining human cardiovascular health, treating cancer and human depression diseases, and an anti-obesity effect. In this study, the potential of using crude glycerol in batch mode mixotrophic culture of P. tricornutum was investigated. Once the mixotrophic culture was established, parameters involved in increasing the biomass and EPA production were optimized. These included nitrogen source, level of supplemental carbon dioxide, and concentration of crude glycerol. Using nitrate, 0.08 M crude glycerol, and 3% (vol/vol) carbon dioxide led to the highest biomass productivity of 0.446 g L?? day?? and the highest EPA productivity of 16.9 mg L?? day?? in batch mode culture. The continuous culture of the mixotrophic culture was then performed following the batch culture optimization. The effects of dilution rate were observed in continuous culture with the parameters of nitrate as the nitrogen source, 0.08 M crude glycerol, and 3% (vol/vol) carbon dioxide held constant. The highest biomass productivity of 0.612 g L?? day?? was obtained at D = 0.24 day??. The highest EPA productivity of 16.5 mg L?? day?? was achieved at both D = 0.15 day?? and D = 0.24 day??. The maximum specific growth rate was estimated from the washing out dilution rate and was determined to be around 0.677 day??. Overall, it was found that crude glycerol increases the biomass and EPA productivity of Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Continuous culture with the use of crude glycerol can further increase these measurements. The potential for scaling up studies is demonstrated by these results and can help lead to a market for this abundant, little-used byproduct of the biodiesel industry. / Master of Science

Crude glycerol is a major byproduct if the biodiesel industry. Biodiesel manufacturers are currently facing the challenges of appropriate disposal of this waste material. Crude glycerol is expensive to purify for use in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries and therefore, alternative methods for use of this crude glycerol are needed. A promising alternative is to use this crude glycerol as a carbon source for microalgae fermentation. In this project, we investigated the use of crude glycerol as a less expensive substrate for the fermentation of the microalgae <i>Schizochytrium limacinum</i> and <i>Pythium irregulare</i> which are prolific producers of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have many beneficially effects on treating human diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders. In addition, the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been shown to be an important factor in infant brain and eye development. The first part of this study focused on the continuous fermentation of <i>S. limacinum</i>, a prolific producer of DHA. The objective of this study was to examine the algal cellular physiology and maximize its DHA productivity. Two important parameters used in continuous fermentation were studied: dilution rate (D) and feed glycerol concentration (S₀). The highest biomass productivity of 3.88 g/L-day was obtained at D = 0.3 day⁻¹ and S₀ = 60 g/L, while the highest DHA productivity (0.52 g/L-day) was obtained at D = 0.3 day⁻¹ and S₀ = 90 g/L. The cells had a true growth yield of 0.283 g/g, a maximum specific growth rate of 0.692 day⁻¹, and a maintenance coefficient of 0.2216 day⁻¹. The second part of this study focused on morphology issues with <i>P. irregulare</i>, a prolific producer of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). <i>P. irregulare</i> has a filamentous morphology, which can make fermentation difficult. The mycelium can stick to the agitation blades resulting in mechanical problems. In addition, this filamentous morphology prevents adequate amounts of oxygen from reaching some cells resulting in decreased productivities. The focus of this research was to control the fermentation conditions to make the algae grow in small pellets, a morphology more suitable for fermentation. In flask culture studies, pellets were formed at an agitation speed of 110 rpm in both regular and baffled flasks. Baffled flasks resulted in pellet formation at 90 and 130 rpm as well. Fermentation studies resulted in pellet formation at agitation speeds of 150 and 300 rpm. Pellets were better able to form when a baffle was not in place. In addition, agitation speed influenced pellet size, with smaller pellets forming at the higher agitation speed. Overall, this study showed that crude glycerol can be used as a carbon source for the continuous fermentation of <i>S. limacinum</i> with high DHA productivity and the morphology of <i>P. irregulare</i> could be controlled by manipulating culture conditions, mainly agitation speed. These results show the potential for scale-up studies for both algal species. / Master of Science

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Leland McKinney / Three experiments were conducted to evaluate value added uses for dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and crude glycerol in swine and poultry diets. In Exp.1, crude glycerol from multiple biodiesel production facilities was evaluated for storage and variability characteristics. Part one reviewed the storage capabilities of crude glycerol at room temperature and excessive heat conditions on ferrous and stainless steel metal. There was no notable corrosion during the two-month experiment for either metal type under each condition. There was a slight discoloration observed on the ferrous metal stored under excessive heat conditions, but no pitting or sign of corrosion was noted. No changes were observed in the stainless steel under either environment condition. Part two evaluated the variability of crude glycerol from multiple biodiesel production facilities. Representative samples of the parent feedstock and resultant glycerol was collected an analyzed. There was considerable variation between samples, particularly when comparing glycerol from the different feedstocks (vegetable vs. animal). Exp. 2 and 3 took place in the Feed Processing Research Center in the Department of Grain Science at Kansas State University. Pellet quality and electrical energy consumption was evaluated by reviewing production rate, conditioning and hot pellet temperatures, motor load, and pellet durability index (PDI) as testing parameters. In Exp. 2, diets containing varying levels of crude glycerol were evaluated on pellet quality and pellet mill performance in a pilot mill and in a commercial facility. For part one, a corn-soy based swine grower diet was formulated to contain 0, 3, 6, and 9% crude glycerol. Each diet was steam conditioned to 150, 170 and 190 °F in an atmospheric conditioner and pelleted. An interaction existed between glycerol and conditioning temperature. For all diets containing glycerol, roll skid occurred and the pellet mill plugged as conditioning temperature approached 190°F. Pellet quality increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing levels of glycerol. Part two took place at Don’s Farm Supply in Newell, IA. A corn-soy based turkey grower diet was formulated to contain 3% glycerol and pelleted. Results from part two were consistent with part one, in that there was an interaction between conditioning temperature and the addition of glycerol. Exp. 3 evaluated DDGS on pellet quality and electrical consumption. A poultry diet was formulated to contain 0, 15, or 30% DDGS and steam conditioned to 140, 160, and 180°F. As conditioning temperature increased, pellet quality in diets containing DDGS significantly improved (P>.001). Electrical consumption in diets containing DDGS compared to the control showed no significance in reduction in energy usage (P>.001). In conclusion, the production of pelleted diets containing crude glycerol is a feasible option; however, conditioning temperatures should be kept minimal and storage and variation of the material should be considered. In addition, improved pellet quality in pelleted diets containing DDGS is in part by conditioning at higher temperatures, respectively. The data suggests that the addition of crude glycerol and DDGS in animal diets can serve as a beneficial feed additive.

With the increasing demand for biodiesel, the accumulation of byproduct, crude glycerol has become a problem which needs to be solved. Lactic acid is one of the value-added chemical which can be produced from glycerol that has wide uses in food and chemical industry. Although glycerol can be converted to lactic acid with an alkali as the catalyst at high glycerol conversion (100 mol%) and lactic acid yield (around 90 mol%), the high alkalinity would cause severe corrosiveness to a stainless steel reactor. In this study two tasks were performed to convert glycerol to lactic acid with satisfactory conversion and selectivity, and to reduce the corrosiveness of reaction medium. First, CaO was used as solid base catalyst. The highest lactic acid yield achieved was 40.8 mol% with a 97.8 mol% glycerol conversion, when operating at 290°C after 150 min reaction with molar ratio of CaO: glycerol=0.3. Also CaO has advantages such as high lactic acid productivity (3.35 g/(min·L)) and reusability. Meanwhile, CaO can be used as the catalyst for both biodiesel production and the following crude glycerol conversion to lactic acid. Second, for glycerol conversion with NaOH as catalyst, a fed-batch reactor was applied to continuously supply NaOH during reaction process, compensating the OH- neutralized by newly formed lactic acid. The optimal lactic acid yield of 80.5 mol%, with 92.8% glycerol conversion was obtained at 300 °C for 220min, with 1.1 M glycerol initial concentration. A first-order kinetic model for glycerol concentration versus time was developed and verified experimentally under conditions with different initial glycerol concentration and reaction temperature. Although crude glycerol samples contained large amount of impurities, both methods, conversion with solid base catalyst and with fed-batch reactor, were applied successfully to three crude glycerol samples provided by biodiesel manufacturers, and the lactic acid yield reached 52.3 mol% and 72.7 mol% respectively. Finally, the corrosion issue of different methods was compared based on the Fe3+ concentration (analyzed with atomic-absorption spectroscopy) in the products. Both methods of glycerol conversions, with solid base catalyst and fed-batch reactor, can reduce the corrosiveness of glycerol conversion with an alkali as the catalyst.

The increased use of fossil fuels during the last centuries has caused elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There is significant evidence that this is the cause of global warming. To mitigate the global warming, measures has to be taken to use renewable fuels and make processes more efficient. Catalytic gasification and downstream upgrading of synthesis gas is a promising technology for biofuel production, where previous research in black liquor gasification is currently expanding into a wider fuel feedstock. This work focuses on co-gasification of black liquor and by-products from other biofuel production technologies. The interesting by-products were crude glycerol from biodiesel production and spruce fermentation residue from ethanol production. The main goals were to study if the fuels can mix homogeneously and study the char reactivity. CO2 char gasification for mixtures of black liquor and glycerol or fermentation residue respectively was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for four temperatures between 750°C and 900°C. The results show that glycerol can be mixed in all proportions with black liquor and indicate that the char reactivity is unchanged. The sustained char reactivity for blends is attributed to the volatility of glycerol. The fermentation residue does not produce a homogeneous mixture with black liquor and the char is less reactive. More studies should be performed to further elucidate the validity of the results.

Leveduras oleaginosas possuem a capacidade de sintetizar grande quantidade de lipídeos em suas células, gerando produtos de alto valor agregado através de um processo sustentável. Um perfil de ácidos graxos poli-insaturados é de grande interesse por parte das industrias alimentícia e farmacêutica e têm sido alvo de diversos estudos em relação à sua produção e efeitos benéficos à saúde. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo produzir ácidos graxos poli-insaturados pela levedura Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281 utilizando glicose, glicerol residual e permeado de soro de queijo como fontes de carbono. Avaliou-se o metabolismo da levedura em meios de cultivo com diferentes composições (“meio A” e “base YM”) e comparou-se o seu desempenho em razões C/N 100: 1 e 50:1. A levedura foi capaz de metabolizar todos os substratos testados e o meio de cultivo “A” com glicerol residual e razão C/N 50:1 mostrou-se o mais adequado, obtendo valores de 5,67 g.L-1 de biomassa e 1,04 g.L-1 de lipídeos, representando aproximadamente 18 % do peso da massa seca de biomassa. Esta condição foi escalonada para biorreator de 2 L, onde condições de aeração e controle de pH puderam ser avaliadas, apresentando quantidade semelhante de lipídeos (1,08 g.L-1) e uma maior produção de biomassa (7,05 g.L-1). Os ácidos graxos sintetizados apresentaram em sua composição ácido láurico (C12:0), ácido mistírico (C14:0), ácido palmítico (C16:0), ácido pamitoleico (C16:1), ácido esteárico (C18:0), ácido oleico (C18:1 n-9), ácido linoleico (C18:2 n-6) e ácido linolênico (C18:3 n-3). / Oleaginous yeasts are able to synthesize high amounts of lipids in their cells, producing high added-value products through a sustainable process. Food and pharmaceutical companies have great interest in polyunsaturated fatty acids depending on their profiles and many studies related to their production and health benefits have been carried out. The aim of this study was to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids by the yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A using glucose, crude glycerol, and cheese whey permeate as carbon sources. Yeast metabolism was evaluated in different compositions of culture media (“A” and “YM”) and at different C/N ratios (100:1 and 50:1). The yeast was able to assimilate all substrates tested, and medium “A” with crude glycerol as carbon source at a C/N ratio of 50:1 had the most efficient result with biomass production of 5.67 g.L-1 and lipid production of 1.08 g.L-1, which represented 18 % of dry cell weight. This composition was scaled-up to a 2 L bioreactor, where it was possible to measure pH and aeration conditions, and showed similar lipid production (1.08 g.L-1) and higher biomass production (7.05 g.L-1). Fatty acids profile obtained was composed by lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid(C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), and linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3).

Leveduras oleaginosas possuem a capacidade de sintetizar grande quantidade de lipídeos em suas células, gerando produtos de alto valor agregado através de um processo sustentável. Um perfil de ácidos graxos poli-insaturados é de grande interesse por parte das industrias alimentícia e farmacêutica e têm sido alvo de diversos estudos em relação à sua produção e efeitos benéficos à saúde. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo produzir ácidos graxos poli-insaturados pela levedura Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281 utilizando glicose, glicerol residual e permeado de soro de queijo como fontes de carbono. Avaliou-se o metabolismo da levedura em meios de cultivo com diferentes composições (“meio A” e “base YM”) e comparou-se o seu desempenho em razões C/N 100: 1 e 50:1. A levedura foi capaz de metabolizar todos os substratos testados e o meio de cultivo “A” com glicerol residual e razão C/N 50:1 mostrou-se o mais adequado, obtendo valores de 5,67 g.L-1 de biomassa e 1,04 g.L-1 de lipídeos, representando aproximadamente 18 % do peso da massa seca de biomassa. Esta condição foi escalonada para biorreator de 2 L, onde condições de aeração e controle de pH puderam ser avaliadas, apresentando quantidade semelhante de lipídeos (1,08 g.L-1) e uma maior produção de biomassa (7,05 g.L-1). Os ácidos graxos sintetizados apresentaram em sua composição ácido láurico (C12:0), ácido mistírico (C14:0), ácido palmítico (C16:0), ácido pamitoleico (C16:1), ácido esteárico (C18:0), ácido oleico (C18:1 n-9), ácido linoleico (C18:2 n-6) e ácido linolênico (C18:3 n-3). / Oleaginous yeasts are able to synthesize high amounts of lipids in their cells, producing high added-value products through a sustainable process. Food and pharmaceutical companies have great interest in polyunsaturated fatty acids depending on their profiles and many studies related to their production and health benefits have been carried out. The aim of this study was to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids by the yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A using glucose, crude glycerol, and cheese whey permeate as carbon sources. Yeast metabolism was evaluated in different compositions of culture media (“A” and “YM”) and at different C/N ratios (100:1 and 50:1). The yeast was able to assimilate all substrates tested, and medium “A” with crude glycerol as carbon source at a C/N ratio of 50:1 had the most efficient result with biomass production of 5.67 g.L-1 and lipid production of 1.08 g.L-1, which represented 18 % of dry cell weight. This composition was scaled-up to a 2 L bioreactor, where it was possible to measure pH and aeration conditions, and showed similar lipid production (1.08 g.L-1) and higher biomass production (7.05 g.L-1). Fatty acids profile obtained was composed by lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid(C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), and linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3).