MUMBAI, India, Sept. 28 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202631097544 A) filed by Indian Institute Of Technology Guwahati on August 12, 2026, for Culture Medium For Improved Production Of Acetone, Butanol And Isopropanol Using Clostridium Beijerinckii.
Inventors include Das, Debasish; and Konar, Ujjal.
The application for the patent was published on September 25, 2026, under issue no. 39/2026.
Abstract: The present invention pertains to development of novel culture medium through systematic medium engineering strategy, resulting in improved titer for three solvents: butanol, acetone and isopropanol using the wild-type strain C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. The medium engineering strategy combines (i) screening of carbon source, nitrogen source and culture buffer system, supporting overproduction of solvents and early onset of solventogenesis, followed by (ii) statistical optimisation (RSM and CCD) of the key nutrients. Static conditions (0 RPM) prove optimal, minimising volatilisation losses and energy input, while an initial pH of 5.5 triggers early solventogenesis, within 48 hours. Mannose and glucose emerge as the superior carbon sources producing 13.52 g L-1 and 12.51 g L-1 butanol, respectively in 100 mL culture bottle. In both the culture medium containing mannose or glucose as the carbon source, a novel nitrogen formulation of protease peptone and yeast extract (2:1) and an innovative acetate buffer system (potassium acetate with acetic acid) was used for cultivation. Based on the findings, CCD-RSM based statistical optimisation was carried out to develop two bioprocesses for butanol production which differ in terms of carbon substrate used: Bio-Butanol with Mannose (BBuM) and Bio-Butanol with Glucose (BBuG). Optimised, BBuM and BBuG processes resulted in butanol titer of 20.64 g L-1, 19.16 g L-1 and total solvent (acetone, butanol and isopropanol) titer of 31.06 g L-1, 33.04 g L-1, respectively, at 100 mL culture bottles. Finally, to understand the growth and solvent production kinetics of BBuM and BBuG, both processes were first scaled up to a 7.5 L stirred-tank bioreactor with a working volume of 5 L. A butanol titer of 20.82 g L-1 (yield 0.31 g g-1 of mannose) and 19.74 g L-1 (yield 0.31 g g-1 of glucose) was achieved when the strain was grown on mannose and glucose as the primary carbon source, respectively, in a bioreactor under optimised conditions. Pilot scale bioreactor study with working volume of 50L using glucose based medium (BBuG) resulted butanol and total ABI titer of 19.58 g L-1 and 33.5 g L-1. The butanol and total solvent titer achieved in the present invention, utilising mannose or glucose as the carbon source was found to be highest for the wild type strain Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
