Cell adsorption and local accumulation of extracellular polysaccharide in an immobilized Acinetobacter calcoaceticus system

Abstract

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus can be immobilized on Celite by adsorption. The salt concentrations suitable for immobilized cell fermentation are between 10 and 50 mM phosphate concentration. Low salt concentrations cause desorption of immobilized cells while high salt concentrations inhibit the adsorption of cells on Celite. It is also found that cell adsorption is better at lower pH than at higher pH. An airlift fermentation using immobilized cells at 300 g/L Celite loading shows that about 70% of the total polymer produced is accumulated in Celite pores at a concentration (15.4 g/L) almost threefold higher than that in the bulk liquid (5.7 g/L).